FURI | Spring 2018

In-Situ ABI Testing of Pipeline Materials

About 45 percent of crude oil pipelines in the U.S. are over a half-century old and these pipelines deteriorate gradually. Their integrity is important to avoid leakage, which results in safety and environmental hazards. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop non-destructive or minimally destructive mechanical test methods that can be performed in-situ. The research objective is to predict the mechanical properties of a material using Automated Ball Indentation testing. The ABI test is based on multiple indentations on the same location of a polished surface. This will enable researchers to conduct life assessments of the pipelines non-destructively.