It’s one thing to conduct failure analysis with FEA software. But scenarios with catastrophic outcomes such as death need to be validated often times in the field.
Recently, we conducted an experiment to validate our calculations of a pipe failing at high pressure. We needed to have this pipe break at more than 15,000 psi, not less.
We started with a heavy piece of pipe and calculated a groove. This calculation was verified by finite element analysis and then some test breaks.
We spent quite some time setting up the fixtures and using a Gangline rope system to arrest the pipes at the failure points.
The test was a success breaking at 15,500 psi!
The red pipe in the picture is used in the fracking industry. So the use case is commonplace.
Our testing was for the yellow rope assembly which is a Patent Pending safety product of Marc A. Meadows, P.E. Our calculations for failure and the resultant safety installment were all validated.
It is designed to strain harden and have a max elongation of 19% in the model. At 16ksi pressure it solved up to ~98-99% before hitting the 19% mark when it would break.
Here is a cool video that shows this test.