Non-Intrusive Fitness-for-Service Evaluations of Critical Non-Metallic Aboveground Storage Tanks May/June 2024 Periodic inspection and testing of chemical processing storage and manufacturing equipment is critically important for environmental, health & safety...
Archive
Testing FRP composite materials: which method is best?
UTComp’s UltraAnalytix NDT system ensures composite assets meet the highest standards of safety, performance, quality and regulatory compliance.
UTComp announces licensing agreement with VED s.r.l.
UTComp is pleased to welcome VED s.r.l. to our growing network of UltraAnalytix® NDT licensees. Established in 1970 and based in Italy, VED provides asset inspection and management services as well as composite equipment production (tanks, pipe, structures),...
FRP Corrosion Barrier Assessment: Best Practices Guide
Resistance to corrosion is a key advantage of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials. It makes FRP an ideal choice for tanks, pipes and other equipment in industries like pulp and paper and chemical processing where corrosion is an everyday challenge. However,...
40 years of failure analysis of polymeric composite materials
The use of polymeric composite materials, including fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), has grown dramatically since inventors like Goodyear and Dunlop and Michelin began combining rubber with textiles to make the first tires for bicycles and wagons in the 1800s. Today,...
UAX assessment for FRP composite reliability
For many years, ultrasound has been the go-to non-destructive testing (NDT) technology for inspecting steel pipes, tanks and vessels. However, ultrasonic testing of equipment made from fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is more recent. Below we discuss...
Assessing FRP composites in water system infrastructure
UltraAnalytix NDT is a proven, cost-effective way to assess FRP water infrastructure for Fitness for Service and Remaining Service Life.
Validation of UltraAnalytix® NDT for FRP composites
To prove our system, we’ve conducted more than 500 tests over the years — some blind, some in the lab — comparing UTComp technology with destructive inspection methods.
FRP damage mechanisms overview
Preventing failures and optimizing the service life of any structure is the result of a balance between the service loads applied and the actual capacity of the structure. This is the basis of Fitness for Service or Suitability for Service evaluation. Failure...
Fitness For Service of FRP pipe
Assessing fiberglass reinforced polymer pipe Piping made from fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites has a long record of success safely transporting hazardous materials such as corrosive acids where steel and other alloys are unsuitable or cost prohibitive....
ASME Standards for FRP Piping and Tanks
FRP design standards keep getting better — what about predicting FRP reliability after it’s in service? Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have come a long way since they were first used for vessels and piping in the chemical processing industry in the...