Quality Control Test for Platform Weldment Fracture Toughness

The objective was to develop a methodology to detect, evaluate, and to control local brittle zones (LBZ) in the construction verification of offshore platforms. LBZ's are regions of brittle microstructure within the heat-affected zones of steel weldments that can initiate brittle fracture. They can also cause a fatigue failure to platforms subject to wind and wave loadings. The major objective was to review the test methods that are currently used to detect, assess, and control LBZ's and to make recommendations for new test methods for fracture control.