Effect of residual stresses on the linear-elastic KI–T field for circumferential surface flaws in pipes

This paper describes the effect of four realistic residual stress patterns on the crack-front constraints for circumferential surface flaws in the wall of a pipe, characterized by the linear-elastic KI–T stresses. The numerical representation of the residual stresses combines a thermal-induced eigenstrain field with a local mechanical traction applied over the interface between the heat affected zone and the remaining pipe. The verification study confirms the accuracy of this approach based on the analytical KI solution for a 2-D crack under prescribed residual stresses. This study demonstrates low crack-front constraints near the deepest crack front for three typical residual stresses.