Yasuhiro Shinohara

Effects of Microstructure and Texture on DWTT Properties for High Strength Line Pipe Steels

The crack arrestability for high strength line pipe steels with tensile strength of 650 to 850 MPa was evaluated using precrack DWTT (pc-DWTT). Moreover, the effects of microstructure and texture on pc-DWTT energy were investigated. The pc-DWTT energy was remarkably affected by tensile strength. The pc-DWTT energy of ferrite and bainite/martensite dual phase steels was much higher than that of bainite single phase steels in comparison with the same tensile strength. The {100} plane is a cleavage plane in iron, so the brittle crack mainly propagates along the {100} plane. Bainte single phase steels indicated a high intensity of the {100} on the plane rotated 40° from the rolling plane with the axis of the rolling direction. On the other hand, ferrite and bainite/martensite dual phase steels indicated not only a high intensity of the {100} plane rotated 40° from the rolling plane, but also a high intensity of the {100} plane parallel to the rolling plane. Slant fracture could be easily formed by the high intensity of the {100} on the plane rotated 40° from the rolling plane if local brittle areas such as martensite and austenite constituent (M-A constituent), which became the initiation point of brittle fracture, existed. In contrast, separation tended to be formed by the high intensity of the {100} plane parallel to the rolling plane that was caused by the formation of ferrite and bainte/martensite dual phase microstructure. Thus, pc-DWTT energy and shear area were remarkably affected by microstructure and texture. Therefore, to control microstructure and texture is vay important for the improvement of pc-DWTT properties.Copyright

Change of Mechanical Properties of High Strength Line Pipe by Thermal Coating Treatment

In strain-based design, the overmatch condition in the girth weld portion primarily must be maintained. The pipes may also be required to have a low yield to tensile (Y/T) ratio and a high uniform elongation (U.EL) in the longitudinal direction to achieve a high compressive buckling strain. However, change in the mechanical properties by heating during coating treatment has not been paid attention so much. Furthermore, how much the mechanical properties change is affected by production conditions is unclear. This study aims to clarify firstly the relation between the mechanical properties (Y/T ratio, U.EL etc.) and the microstructure and secondly the change in mechanical properties by thermal coating treatment. The Y/T ratio and U.EL are affected by the volume fraction of ferrite and the secondary phase, which are changed by thermomechanical control processing (TMCP) conditions. For example, use of dual phase microstructure is very effective for decreasing the Y/T ratio and increasing the U.EL as the pipe. On the other hand, yield strength (YS) rises and the U.EL does not change after coating. The increase in the YS after coating is influenced by the microstructure and TMCP conditions. Resultantly, dependence of the Y/T ratio on the microstructure and TMCP conditions is reduced for line pipes after thermal coating treatment.Copyright

Anisotropy of the Stress-Strain Curves for Line Pipe Steels

To suppress the appearance of Luders strain and to decrease yield to tensile strength ratio in the L-direction (longitudinal direction), as well as the C-direction (circumferential direction), have been more important for strain-based design. In this study, conventional UOE and ERW pipes were examined in terms of tensile properties in both directions. In the case of UOE pipes, yield point was clearly observed on the stress-strain curve in the C-direction. However, stress-strain curves in the L-direction showed the round-house type. This difference became prominent after heat treatment for the anti-corrosion. Namely, clear Luders strain appeared in the C-direction at a lower aging temperature compared with that in the L-direction. On the other hand, contrasting results were obtained in the case for ERW pipes. Thus far, it’s been thought that the difference between UOE and ERW pipe was caused by the direction of final strain during the pipe forming process. There are also differences in the occurrence of Luders strain between each grade. A stress-strain curve maintained the round-house type in X100 grade pipe after the heat treatment at 240°C for five minutes; however, X70 grade pipe showed the stress-strain curve in the L-direction with Luders strain after the heat treatment at the same temperature.Copyright

Metallurgical Design and Development of High-Grade Line Pipe

The application of high-strength line pipes has enabled pipelines to operate at high pressure, generating cost savings for both gas transportation and construction. In general, high-strength line pipes require crack initiation resistance and crack arrestability at low temperatures, as well as field weldability. High strength and deformability for strain-based design and excellent sour resistance are also required. Moreover, composite properties are often required for high-strength line pipes. This paper describes our progress in this field with regard to metallurgical design and development. Metallurgical design aimed at achieving a good balance between strength, low temperature toughness and deformability for strain-based design is also described from the perspectives of grain refinement, microstructure and chemical composition. Metallurgical design focused on a good balance between strength and sour resistance in limited low chemical composition is described from the perspectives of microstructure and control to chemical composition and center segregation. These efforts have led to the development of high-strength heavy wall line pipes of API X60 to X100 grades offering excellent low temperature toughness and high deformability for stain-based design, while API grades X65 to X70 with good sour resistance have also been developed.Copyright

Recent Progress and Application of Bainite Steels for High Strength Linepipe up to X120

For the constant transmission of gas through a pipeline, steel weight decreases linearly with an increase in the strength of the linepipe irrespective of pipe size and internal pressure. Thus, high-strength large-diameter linepipe up to X120 has been developed and is now being applied to reduce pipe costs, transportation costs and construction costs. To meet the excellent weldability and low production costs required for the linepipe application of bainite produced through using Thermo-Mechanical Control Processing (TMCP) from low carbon chemistry is essential. Dual phase steel made by means of the introduction of ferrite in the bainite matrix mitigates the inferior properties of bainite. Herein, the production parameters affecting the microstructure and the properties are overviewed.

Metallurgical Design and Development of High Deformable X100 Line Pipe Steels Suitable for Strain-Based Design

The demand for natural gas using pipelines and LNG to supply the world gas markets is increasing substituting for oil and coal. The use of high strength line pipe steels provides the reduction of cost of gas transmission pipelines by enabling high-pressure transmission of large volumes of gas. In particular, high strength line pipe materials with a yield strength of X80 or higher have been developed over the last few decades around the world. Long distance gas transmission pipelines from remote areas sometimes pass through discontinuous permafrost, and are subject to ground movements by repeated thaw subsidence and frost heave. In this case, strain-based design has been applied as well as stress-based design. Therefore, high deformable line pipe is required for strain-based design in order to prevent the pipeline from fracturing. Nippon steel has also developed high deformable high strength line pipe material suitable for strain-based design. In recent years, demand for high strength line pipe steels has emerged in which the molybdenum content is reduced because of the high cost of molybdenum. Conventionally, high strength line pipe steel with Mo addition has been developed in order to control the microstructure and to obtain pipe properties such as strength and low temperature toughness. This paper describes the metallurgical design and development of high deformable high strength X100 line pipe with lower Mo content suitable for strain-based design. High deformable X100 line pipe with 16 mm wall thickness as well as good low temperature toughness and seam weld toughness has been developed.© 2008 ASME

Effect of Tensile Property Distribution on Strain-Based Design Application of High Strength UOE Line Pipe

For line pipe to which a strain-based design is applied, control of mechanical properties such as yield to tensile strength (Y/T) ratio, yield strength (YS) and flow stress at a low strain is required. These mechanical properties generally change during thermal coating treatment. A high strength UOE line pipe that is less susceptible to strain aging has recently been developed. In UOE pipes, mechanical properties change along the circumferential direction. However, the strength distribution has received little attention. Furthermore, the extent to which the change in strength along the circumferential direction affects the strain limits in strain-based design application is unclear. In this paper, firstly, the pipe forming strain variation and mechanical properties distribution along the circumferential direction of the X80 UOE line pipe suitable to the application of strain-based design are presented. Secondly, change in the properties distribution after thermal coating application is examined. Finally, the effect of strength distribution on the strain limits in strain-based design is discussed.Copyright