Q: Please could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience working with Structural Integrity Codes for Novel Materials and Structures?
Alan Barnes (AB): My role as Head of Regulatory Compliance at Thales ISR is to work with the Military Regulator on the Design Organisational Certification Approach in the Design and Production of Parts and Appliances utilising Novel Materials and Manufacturing techniques.
Emilio Martínez Pañeda (EMP): I lead a research group at Imperial College London that works in expanding the frontiers of structural integrity and our findings continuously feed into the development of structural integrity codes.
Robert Winning (RW): Within the Alstom engineering global organisation I am a senior member of the engineering team responsible for bogie structures/structural integrity. I am registered as UK expert with BSI for CEN WG2 dealing with structural codes for railway vehicle structures, I am also the chairman for the UK mirror group RAE/3-/11.
Paul Davies (PD): I am a country expert for Additive Manufacturing (AM) with >15 years’ experience in the production of metal powders for AM and participate in the joint ISO/TC 261 AMT/8 & ASTM F42 committee meetings (a relatively new experience).
Tim Camp (TC): I participate in the development of design standards for wind turbine structures as co-convenor of the IEC committee responsible for the international design standard for bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines. This builds on previous work defining design methods for offshore wind turbines, the development of software for wind turbine loads analysis and full scale load measurements.
Julian Johns (JJ): Use of codes and other assessment procedures to assess and substantiate a large range of nuclear plant components.
Q: What is the number one challenge facing engineers working with Structural Integrity Codes for Novel Materials and Structures?
AB: The lack of historical evidence of use to enable clear standardisation of design and manufacturing principles to be applied when considering their usage.
EMP: The biggest challenges are arguably those resulting from the interaction of metals with aggressive environments, such as corrosive environments or exposure to hydrogen. This is an area that is challenging from both scientific and engineering perspectives, and improvements are needed to prevent catastrophic failures and optimise design and service life.
RW: The number one challenge for engineers working with structural integrity codes for novel materials and structures for railway vehicle structures is to ensure that the requirements and criteria defined in the codes is up to date (state of the art), and that the codes are relevant by taking into account the specifics of the rail industry e.g. design and manufacturing standards and operational considerations.
PD: There are very few materials and even less standards associated with AM, which may limit deployment.
TC: Wind turbine structural loading is complex function of stochastic wind and wave loads, structural dynamics and turbine control system actions. Capturing the effects of all input variables, whilst not resulting in an over-conservative design envelope, is a significant challenge.
JJ: Obtaining adequate detailed materials data for high temperature applications.
Q: Where do you see there being significant developments in Structural Integrity Codes for Novel Materials and Structures over the next five years?
AB: As more products are designed, manufactured and are placed in service more evidence of the integrity of the design will become available to reinforce both traditional and digital methods of standardised practice.
EMP: An area that is becoming particularly important is that of hydrogen storage and transport. Metals experience a remarkable degradation in ductility and toughness in the presence of hydrogen and this is arguably one of the biggest threats to the promise that hydrogen holds for decarbonising society. Many structural integrity questions have emerged (can existing gas pipelines transport hydrogen?) and we now have the tools and understanding to answer those questions.
RW: The introduction of new codes/processes for us to enable the introduction of new materials (e.g. composites) and new manufacturing processes (e.g. additive manufacturing techniques).
PD: The joint working of ISO & ASTM should increase the numbers of standardised materials in this period.
TC: I see probabilistic design methods being used more widely.
JJ: Introducing probabilistic assessment methodologies into design codes.
Q: What can engineers expect from your presentation at the event?
AB: I am not a Design, Manufacturing, Materials or Structural expert. My presentation will attempt to describe the MAA Regulatory Framework in which the adoption and usage of these principles are to be applied.
EMP: I will overview our efforts in extending the success of “Virtual Testing” to components and structures exposed to hydrogen. We have been working for a number of years now in developing computational methods for predicting hydrogen ingress into metals, hydrogen diffusion within the metal and the subsequent nucleation and growth of cracks, as assisted by hydrogen. We have been working closely with industrial partners to build upon this knowledge and tools to establish best practices for the design and fitness-for-service assessment of hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure.
RW: An overview of the some of the main structural codes (past, present and future) that are used for railway vehicle structures with a specific focus on bogie structures.
PD: An introduction to AM, including new techniques and the production of metal powders, as a principle raw material. An overview of the alloys produced for AM and a list of the latest standards available with some examples.
TC: I hope to show what makes wind turbine structural design such an interesting challenge and to highlight the roles that design standards have in guiding engineers through this process.
JJ: A summary of the codes we’ve used, as well as the R5 and R6 assessment procedures and how they play an important part in supporting structural integrity in UK nuclear plants.
Q: What are you most looking forward to by attending and presenting at this event?
AB: I am interested in learning more about this technology by specialists, and to understand the maturity of thinking and expected evidence on the integrity route for design and manufacture, enabling me to support future usage in concept.
EMP: I look forward to hearing about how industry and academia are working to improve structural integrity procedures that are suitable for the challenges that our coming our way as a result of the energy transition.
RW: To get some level of appreciation what approaches with respect to structural integrity codes are adopted in other industries.
PD: Always good to meet interested engineers who are open for adopting AM for new applications.
TC: I’m looking forward to meeting engineers with interests in structural integrity and related codes across a wide range of industries, and to see how methods used in one industry can benefit others.
JJ: Seeing what the other industries use.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this event?
AB: As this technology becomes more widespread, it will be a more accepted practice against more traditional materials and methods of manufacture. To understand this I feel is of benefit in exploiting these new opportunities.
EMP: A sound understanding of structural integrity phenomena and procedures is key to optimise design and fitness-for-service assessment, as well as preventing catastrophic failures.
RW: To make themselves aware of the latest developments with respect to structural integrity codes for novel materials and structures across different industries.
PD: Sandvik Osprey Ltd, the UK based production unit of Sandvik, has been involved in metal AM for 20 years and is a global supplier into this fast growing industry which is supported by other leading companies to create unique solutions, new materials and standardised process and materials.
TC: Structural integrity is a core engineering discipline. Without it, the results of our labours wouldn’t survive!
JJ: To get an appreciation of the codes and standards used across different industries and how they may be deployed elsewhere.
The Structural Integrity Codes for Novel Structures and Materials seminar will be taking place on 22 February 2023 at One Birdcage Walk, London.
To book your place, please visit the event website.