Monotonic four-point bending tests were conducted using tee pipe specimens having local wall thinning. The effects of local wall thinning on the fracture behaviors of tee pipe were investigated. Local wall thinning was machined on the inside of pipes in order to simulate erosion⁄corrosion metal loss. The configurations of the eroded area were l =100mm in eroded axial length, d⁄t=0. 5 and 0. 8 in eroded ratio, and 2θ=90°in eroded angle. The area undergoing local wall thinning was subjected to either tensile or compressive stress. Fracture behaviors of the tee pipes were compared with those of straight pipes. It was found that fracture type could be classified into ovalization, local buckling, and crack initiation, depending on pipe shape, eroded ratio, and stress at the eroded area. Three-dimensional elasto-plastic analyses were also carried out using the Finite Element Method, which is able to accurately simulate fracture behaviors.
