Welding and Mechatronics Institute

Teaching, research, and development in Welding Technology: processes, procedures, equipment, and instrumentation

Current Projects

Advanced Welding Processes and Numerical Structural Analysis dedicated to Welded Repairs of In-Service Pipelines
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Advanced Welding Processes and Numerical Structural Analysis dedicated to Welded Repairs of In-Service Pipelines

Coordinator at LABSOLDA: Régis Henrique Gonçalves e Silva
Managing Institution: FAPEU

External Resources
Companies: PETROBRAS
Total project value: R$ 4,976,895.36
Validity: 09/09/2025 to 06/03/2028
Duration: 30 months

Entities Involved
UFSC / LABSOLDA

 

 

Summary

In-Service Welding is a widely used technique at PETROBRAS because it has the great advantage of executing damage repair on pipelines, piping, and tubular structures without a significant loss of production. However, there are still several logistical, operational, and metallurgical challenges to be faced, as well as problems related to repair and team mobilization times and costs, and occupational safety during repairs. Therefore, this research project is justified by the importance of improving repair techniques for PETROBRAS, particularly definitive repairs, which are associated with huge challenges still present in the daily maintenance of its pipelines and piping.

In this context, the present project will address repairs of the following types:

  • encapsulations (sleeves) without additional reinforcement for DCs (6" to 8");
  • Clamp-type repairs with encapsulations for DCs;
  • "bacalhau" (patch) for pipes over 30" and long repairs, such as in waterway terminal lines;
  • filling of external corrosion pits in thin-walled lines (3.2 to 6.35 mm).

Through R&D in welding science and technology accompanied by structural/thermomechanical analysis and computational mechanical design, the objective is the generation of knowledge in Welding Processes and Procedures and in Numerical Modeling and Simulation dedicated to the aforementioned repairs, and the provision of methods and processes for the mechanical analysis of the repairs, their topological optimization, and eventual homologation and execution (via manual or mechanized welding), as well as Welding and Manufacturing technologies and procedures. This scope will be conducted with a view to increasing productivity, reducing costs, and increasing operational and occupational safety in pipeline and piping repairs.

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