Advances in Acrylics and

Expansion of PVHO Window

Cycle Life
Bart Kemper, P.E.

24 Jan. 2012
Underwater Intervention 2012
 Summary
Acrylics are the first polymer pressure vessel
material accepted by ASME.
Original work was based largely
on empirical data.
Material science in acrylics has advanced.
Updating design rules must balance
engineering/economics with safety
We need your input from industry.
 Outline

Background
Acrylics in Pressure Vessels
Current Issues
Fatigue Data
Path Forward for Changes
Summary
 Background
Bart Kemper, P.E.
Principal Engineer, Kemper Engineering
BSME 1992, LSU
ASME Codes and Standards Committees
Pressure Vessels for Human Occupancy (PVHO)
Engineering in support of diving
Acergy, CalDive, Stolt Offshore, Specialty Diving

Related engineering and computer modeling of :

high temperature metals (creep), rubbers, plastics,
foam, composites
 Acrylics in PVHOs
Pioneering work was led by
Jerry Stachiw with the US
Navy.
Two decades of active
research was the basis for
Dr. Jerry Stachiw, PE
PVHO1/ANSI in 1976, which
1931-2007 later became ASME PVHO.
This research pushed past
the traditional “materials
science” data of the time
and focused on practical
needs and applciations.

www.hydroport.com
 Acrylics in PVHOs

Precision Casting Process for Acrylic Plastic

Spherical Windows in High Pressure Service
ASME 74-WA/OCT-7

J.D. Stachiw, Naval Undersea Center

Bruce Beasley, Polymer Products
Acrylics in PVHOs

Example of design info in ASME “Safety

Standard for Pressure Vessels for
Human Occupancy” (PVHO1)
Acrylics in PVHOs
 Acrylics in PVHOs

PVHO usage has expanded from primarily

exploration, government, and commercial
diving. Submersibles and medical
chambers will have many pressure cycles a
day compared to several days/full cycle.
Acrylic Properties

Viscoelastic
Sensitive to temperature in
normal PVHO range
Creep rates vary over loads,
temperatures, and time.
Creep/deform = window leak
ASME Code
Cyclic limit is regardless of any
design or service condition.

It is driven by the original data sets

were only 10,000 cycles and
assumptions that diving related
chambers, submersibles, and
medical treatment for
decompression injury would have
at most 2 cycles per day, with the
high pressure systems having
cycles measured in days.

No engineering provision for

“design for twice the pressure,
which reduces stresses and
increase cyclic life.”
ASME Code

To increase cyclic life by test:

2 test per hour = 48 tests per day
10,000 cycles = 208 days

Therefore to double cyclic life

10,000 baseline + 2x(10,000)
30,000 cycles = 625 days
Fatigue

Steel is well understood.

Decades of material science and
applied research existed in order
for ASME to develop design curves.
Design curves are more
conservative than property curves.
 Fatigue
ASME Calculations (SA 516 Gr 60)
Fatigue
PMMA (acrylics) is now far better
understood than 40 years ago.
Decades of material science and
applied research now exist that did
not before. PMMA is also used in
biomedical applications, spurring
additional material research.
Original research had cyclic failures
at less than 100 cycles. Attributed
to steel/acrylic interface.
PMMA now has well established
fatigue curves. These could be the
baseline for extending fatigue
limits.
More research is needed. Industry
input is needed.
 Path Forward
Datamining existing work
–Peer reviewed papers.
–Hard test data still useful.

Validate material models

–Detailed Finite Element Analysis.
–Examine existing geometries.
–Validate key geometries through testings
–Propose new fatigue limits and procedures.
Long term goal: Develop “Div. 2” curves
 Summary
Acrylics are the first polymer pressure vessel
material accepted by ASME.
Original work was based largely
on empirical data.
Material science in acrylics has advanced.
Updating design rules must balance
engineering/economics with safety
We need your input from industry.
 Questions?

Bart Kemper, P.E.

bkemper@kemperengineering.com
225-923-2945