Efficient, scale-bridging simulation of ductile failure in a burst test using damage mechanics

The use of high strength steels is penalised by the current regulations of pressure vessel codes. Simulation studies could enhance the data basis for exploring more suitable design functions or safety factors. Damage mechanics are able to provide an adequate description of ductile failure on small-scale experiments. The article presents a modelling concept for scale-bridging damage mechanics models for the application in large-scaled components. The validity of this concept is demonstrated on the comparison with results of a burst test, which was performed on a vessel produced from P690Q. The burst pressure of 680 bar as well as the initial failure location could very well be reproduced by the damage mechanics simulation based on actual material investigations. Furthermore, an approach for the derivation of virtual model parameters based on nominal material requirements is presented. This allows determining limit pressures for any kind of vessel geometries. Such nominal simulations can e.g. help to create a data basis for exploring suitable design functions for high strength steels in the future. •A burst test was performed on a large-scaled pressure vessel made from P690Q.•The vessel could sustain three times its design pressure.•A modelling concept for scale-bridging simulations of ductile failure was tested on the result.•The damage mechanics simulations could successfully reproduce the burst pressure.•Such simulations enable efficient ways of investigating of the usability of high strength steels.