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Development and validation of a lifetime prediction methodology for failure of
materials used for hydrogen containment components is of paramount importance
to the planned hydrogen economy. In the case of low strength steel pipelines, we
outline a hydrogen transport methodology for the calculation of hydrogen
accumulation ahead of the tip of an axial crack on the inner surface. For all
practical purposes, we find that the stress, deformation, and hydrogen fields
exhibit a small scale character which allows for the use of the standard modified
boundary layer approach to the study of the fracture behavior of steel pipelines.
Arguably the most devastating mode of hydrogen-induced degradation is the
hydrogen embrittlement of high-strength steels. We present an approach to
quantify the effect of hydrogen on the fracture strength and toughness of a low
alloy martensitic steel through the use of a statistically-based micromechanical
model for the critical local fracture event.