Strength, stress and fracture analyses of offshore tubular joints using finite elements

The use of the finite element method for the analysis of offshore tubular joints is increasingly gaining popularity in both practical and research environments, as a result of the wide availability of powerful software and the rapidly falling computational costs. This paper reviews the modelling techniques used in the finite element analysis of tubular joints for obtained information on strength, stress fields and stress intensity factors. Guidance is given on model discretisation, choice of elements, material curve input, weld modelling, results interpretation and limitations of using numerical techniques. The information given will prove to be useful to both practitioners and researchers alike