Engineering failure analysis, fatigue and mechanical tests, composite materials – DNV labs Høvik

Engineering failure analysis

Engineering failure analysis is essential to establish root causes of incidents, identify measures to resume operation and long-term corrective actions.

Effective analysis and qualification services demand expertise, experience, and outstanding facilities. With a total area of more than 2500 m² and a team of more than 70 experts, the DNV Materials qualification and failure analysis laboratory at Høvik is one of the oil and gas industry's major centres of excellence. The on-site availability of specialist staff at DNV's Høvik headquarters enables easy integration of testing into multidisciplinary projects.

The laboratory has conducted failure investigations for more than 50 years, and completed more than 400 since 2006 alone. Many of these investigations benefit from our expert system knowledge in ship machinery, subsea, pipelines and structures. This enables us to contribute throughout the process: from failure investigation to root cause identification and the prevention of future failures. Failure investigations typically include:

• Collection of data and information
• Field examination
• Visual examination and photo documentation
• Chemical analysis
• Metallographic examinations
• Hardness measurements
• Mechanical testing
• Macro examination using a stereo microscope
• Micro examination using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Fatigue tests and mechanical tests

Fatigue tests and mechanical tests are used to:

• Extend the service life of existing equipment
• Qualify new technologies
• Understand failures that have occurred.

Our standardized mechanical tests and full-scale simulated service tests are supported by easy access to world-leading domain experts in areas such as fatigue, corrosion and fracture mechanics. This is combined with system knowledge in areas such as offshore structures, ships, pipelines, subsea equipment and mooring systems. 

Fatigue and mechanical test capabilities:

• Mechanical and environmental testing of metallic materials, thermoplastics, elastomers, fibre-reinforced plastics, concrete, fibre ropes, etc.
• Advanced measurement equipment including optical strain measurements and laser scanning enabling calibration with finite element analysis
• Testing of large-scale structures and components in simulated service conditions
• World-leading fracture mechanics expertise and testing 
• Fully-equipped machining and welding shop
• Dynamic tension/compression testing up to 7500kN
• Static tension/compression testing up to 36 000kN
• Pressure testing up to 4000bar
• Material testing from -196°C to +350°C.

• Testing of thermoplastic composite pipes (TCP) per DNV-ST-F119 and DNVGL-ST-C501 (simulated service, mechanical, exposure/compatibility)
• Material analysis (micro- and macro-examination) of elastomer and thermoplastic seals
• Structural analysis and FE simulations of bonded joints and bonded repair of steel structures per DNVGL-RP-C301
• Technology qualification of thermoplastic composite pipes, flexible risers, pressure vessels and other composites components/structures per DNV-RP-A203
• Third-party services e.g. verification, certification, independent assessment, fabrication QA 
• Failure analysis and root cause investigation of GRP pipeline, high speed craft, windmill blade etc. 
• On-site inspection of e.g. composite pipeline, windmill blade, high speed craft, etc. 
• Advisory including concept development, feasibility study, risk assessment
• Training.