This paper explores the application of the local approach to brittle fracture to predict the influence of residual stresses in a relatively thick pipe. Three different surface flaw sizes were assumed on the outside surface of the pipe and failure predictions were made using the local approach. Then the results of local approach prediction were compared with the well-known fracture assessment procedure, BS7910 which uses a failure assessment diagram (FAD). It has found that the local approach has an advantage of taking into account the details of stress re-distribution of residual stress around the crack tip compared to the conventional assessment procedure.

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