Abstract
High strength armoring wire utilized in flexible piping systems for offshore applications is subject to harsh service conditions including serve stress loadings and corrosive environments. Thus, the wire materials must exhibit optimum strength and fatigue properties as well as resistance to environmental cracking. This paper presents a testing program that evaluated the corrosion fatigue behavior of several different high strength tensile armor wire materials. The testing regime consisted of a novel corrosion fatigue test that was based on a simple cantilever beam principle for three point bending. The test was developed as a means to rapidly compare and assess final product form in different environments. The S-N curves for several different conditions are presented. The test conditions included seawater and stimulated annulus conditions at ambient temperature. Variables such as wireline size, strength, solution, gaseous environment, presence of cathodic protection and material condition were analyzed and compared to different production armor wire form. It was determined that all of these parameters can be effectively evaluated utilizing the corrosion fatigue test described herein.
