Pipe testing apparatus and method

A method of testing a ring cut from a pipe, the method comprising:

• a. cutting the ring from the pipe, the ring having end faces;
• b. fitting attachments to measure the strains and deformations of the ring;
• c. fitting the ring into an-apparatus, the apparatus including:
• a plurality of test chamber sections which, when placed together, define a test chamber for receiving the ring, the test chamber sections comprising at least a first test chamber section defining a first inner face of the test chamber and a second test chamber section defining an opposed second inner face of the test chamber, the first and second inner faces defining annuli arranged to contain the ring to isolate the inside of the ring from the outside;
• means for clamping the test chamber sections together to form the chamber:
• a fluid inlet port in one of the chamber sections to allow a pressurized fluid to be admitted to the chamber outside the ring when received in the chamber;
• and
• one or more sensors for measuring strain and deformation of the ring and fluid pressure, wherein the annuli are aligned with one another, are wider than the wall thickness of the ring to be tested, and are entirely flat;
• wherein the fitting into the apparatus includes the first inner face against a first end face of the ring and the second inner face against a second inner face of the ring;
• and
• d. applying pressure using the apparatus and recording and deformation measurements.

A method of testing a ring cut from a pipe, the method comprising:

• a. cutting the ring from the pipe;
• b. fitting attachments to measure the strains and deformations of the ring;
• c. fitting the ring into an apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
• a plurality of test chamber sections which, when placed together, define a test chamber for receiving the ring, the test chamber sections comprising at least a first test chamber section defining a first inner face of the test chamber and a second test chamber section defining an opposed second inner face of the test chamber, the first and second inner faces defining annuli arranged to contain the ring to isolate the inside of the ring from the outside;
• means for clamping the test chamber sections together to form the chamber;
• a fluid inlet port in one of the chamber sections to allow a pressurized fluid to be admitted to the chamber outside the ring when received in the chamber;
• and
• one or more sensors for measuring strain and deformation of the ring and fluid pressure, wherein the annuli are aligned with one another, are wider than the wall thickness of the ring to be tested, and are entirely flat;
• and
• d. applying pressure using the apparatus and recording the strain and deformation measurements.