Improving the Pipeline Integrity Management Practice with respect to Metal-loss Corrosion and Third-Party Interference

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The proposed project is aimed at improving the structural integrity management of pressurized steel transmission pipelines with respect to two major threats, namely metal-loss corrosion and third-party interference. The specific objectives of the research are to 1) develop procedures to determine the minimum or optimal number of field excavations required for validating the accuracy of inline inspection (ILI) data for corrosion defects, and Investigate measurement errors associated with the ILI-reported depth and length of the corrosion defects; 2) develop an accurate, practical burst capacity model for corroded pipelines based on a large database of burst pressure capacities established through extensive high-fidelity finite element analysis (FEA) that are validated by full-scale burst tests, and 3) improve the pipeline integrity management practice with respect to the third-party interference by improving the model for estimating the probability of third-party interference and methodologies for evaluating the impact force and puncture resistance of the pipeline. The research will be carried out by two co-principal investigators, Drs. H.P. Hong and W. Zhou, over a period of three years under the support of TransCanada and NSERC, and will involve the training of two postdoctoral fellows and three PhD students. The research outcome will allow TransCanada and the Canadian pipeline industry to more effectively manage the integrity of transmission pipeline networks, and contribute to the long-term prosperity of the Canadian society. The proposed project further offers a unique training opportunity for the PDFs and PhD students involved in that they will develop excellent technical skills by carrying out state-of-the-art research of high practical relevance, and gain valuable practical experience and knowledge by interacting with experienced pipeline integrity engineers on a regular basis. This training will enable them to become the next-generation stewards of the Canadian pipeline networks.