Characterization of texture and residual stress in a section of 610 mm pipeline steel

TLDR: In this paper, a section of commercial X70 pipeline is characterized using microstructural examination, X-ray diffraction (to determine crystallographic texture) and neutron diffraction for residual stress measurement.

Abstract: Gas pipelines are inspected for defects such as corrosion. The most commonly used nondestructive inspection tool uses the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) technique. The MFL signals depend on the magnetic behaviour of the pipe, which is sensitive to its microstructure and crystallographic texture as well as both residual and applied stresses. Here a section of commercial X70 pipeline is characterized using microstructural examination, X-ray diffraction (to determine crystallographic texture) and neutron diffraction (for residual stress measurement). The results correlate well with the manufacturing steps used for this type of pipe. Magnetic characterization is also performed using magnetic Barkhausen noise measurements, which reflect the magnetic anisotropy in the pipe and thus the MFL signal. These results do not correlate simply with crystallographic texture and residual strain results, but this is not unexpected given the complex nature of the material and its stress state.