Fibre Reinforced Composites in Pipeline Applications: Design Issues and Current Research

Fibre reinforced polymeric composites used in pressure retaining structures are seen as an attractive alternative to products made from conventional materials due to their corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. The reluctance in adopting composite materials, however, is due to a limited understanding of the material behaviour under a variety of loading and environmental conditions, and lack of qualified design methodologies. It is the purpose of this paper to address fundamental and applied issues regarding their feasibility and current limitations in pipeline applications. A review of pertinent research results with respect to the local and global behaviour in composite pipes will be discussed.