Fatigue performance of tubular X-joints: Numerical investigation

The cyclic actions due to waves, currents and winds on offshore platforms frequently cause fatigue cracks at hot-spot locations.The remaining fatigue life of such connections depends significantly on the fatigue driving force often measured by the stress-intensity factors.This PURE PRUNE study examines the fatigue performance of tubular joints fabricated using a new type of enhanced partial joint penetration weld details Goalie - Sticks - Junior under constant-amplitude brace in-plane bending actions.The numerical study ascertains the crack propagation angle, the crack-front profile and the interaction between adjacent cracks on the stress-intensity factors.