Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA) services assess imperfections, typically originated during welding, through extended capabilities in fracture mechanics, fatigue, stress analysis, material performance, mechanical testing and non-destructive inspection.
Thanks to such solutions, organisations can attain significant cost savings and enhanced safety by improving awareness of the possible effects of imperfections and their acceptability, so as to define a cost effective inspection and repair plan during installation and operation.
RINA performs analyses in compliance with recognised procedures such as BS7910 and API579 as well as procedures specific for the oil and gas offshore sector (DNV-OS-F101 and RP-F108).
We use the most advanced approaches which allow us to relax levels of over-conservatism and consequently, we are better able to define the rejection / repairing rate with respect to best workmanship criteria.
We also provide component specific input data for these studies through state-of-the-art testing (fracture mechanics testing on SENB and SENT specimens for CTOD and J-integral evaluation, low and high cycle fatigue testing, stress corrosion testing) and stress analysis to properly take into account all the loading scenarios, also when special conditions are considered (for instance those driven by large displacement and strain applied).
Our team can perform non-linear numerical analyses for working out the applied driving force as well as large and full scale tests (segment testing, full scale four point bend testing) to validate the ECA final outcomes.
Aggressive environments which might cause severe material damage (as for instance due to the presence of H2S and CO2) are also taken into account both in the calculation and through testing. Finally we can act as independent third-party to review ECA calculations carried out by other companies.
