Buckle propagation in pipelines with non-uniform thickness

Finite element solutions for the steady-state buckle propagation pressure in a pipeline with non-uniform thickness are given. The results are useful in finding buckle propagation pressures in corroded pipelines. It has been found that when corrosion is equal to or less than 10% of the original pipeline thickness, the pipeline collapses in an overall shell buckling mode; otherwise. the pipeline experiences local buckling. The propagation pressure decreases with both the thickness and angular extent of the reduced section, but the rate of decrease with thickness reduction is almost independent of the angular extent of corrosion when it is greater than 90 degrees. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.