Introduction to API

In classical engineering design, an applied stress is compared with the appropriate material
resistance expressed in terms of a limit stress, such as the yield strength or fatigue endurance
limit. As long as the material resistance exceeds the applied stress, integrity of the component is
assured. It is implicitly assumed that the component is defect-free but design margins provide
some protection against defects. Modern design and operation philosophies, however, take
explicit account of the possible presence of defects in engineering components. Such defects may
arise from fabrication, e.g., during casting, welding, or forming processes, or may develop during
operation. They may extend during operation and eventually lead to failure, which in the ideal
case occurs beyond the design life of the component.
The analytical methods for safety evaluation of flaws are based on stress analysis, but they also
require information on equipment operations, nondestructive examination (NDE), and material
properties. Stress analysis may be performed using standard handbook or design code formulas
or by means of finite element analysis (FEA). With modern computer technology, the use of
FEA is quite common. Fitness for service assessment requires both knowledge of past operating
conditions and a forecast of future operating conditions. Interaction with operations personnel is
required to obtain these data. NDE is used to locate, size, and characterize flaws. The material
properties should include information of material damage mechanisms and behavior in the
service environment, especially on the effects of corrosion and temperature.
The draft of API RP (American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice) 579[ 1] was started
in 1994, and the first edition was published in January 2000. API 579 has been developed to
provide guidance for conducting fitness for service (FFS) assessments of flaws commonly
encountered in the refining and petrochemical industry, which occur in pressure vessels, piping,
and tanks. However, the assessment procedures can also be applied to flaws encountered in other
industries such as the pulp and paper industry, fossil fuel utility industry, and nuclear industry.
The guidelines provided in API 579 can be used to make run-repair-replace decisions to ensure
that pressurized equipment containing flaws that has been identified during an inspection can
continue to be operated safely.
API RP 579 is organized in modular fashion based on type of material damage or flaw to
facilitate its use and updating. It incorporates a three-level assessment approach. The level of
conservatism decreases with increasing level of assessment, but detail of analysis and data
increase with increasing level of assessment. An inspector or a plant engineer can perform level
1 assessment. Level 2 assessments requires at least a plant engineer, whereas Level 3 assessment
must be performed by an expert engineers or by a team of engineers that includes at least one
expert engineer. Application of the higher levels of assessment is often limited by a lack of
materials properties data and accurate operating data.
A complete listing of the flaw and damage assessment procedures currently covered is shown
in Table 1. The organization of each section of the API 579 code is shown in Table 2. Table 3
lists the appendices available in API 579.
Table 1: Damage mechanisms or flaw: an overview

Section in Flaw or Damage Overview of assessment procedures

API 579 Mechanisms

3 Brittle fracture Used to evaluate the resistance to brittle fracture of in-

service carbon and low alloy steel pressure vessels, piping,
and storage tanks. Criteria are provided to evaluate normal
operating, start-up, upset, and shutdown conditions

4 General metal Used to evaluate the component under general/uniform

loss corrosion. Thickness data used for the assessment can be
either point thickness readings or detailed thickness profiles.
A methodology is provided to guide the user to the local
metal loss assessment procedures based on the type and
variation of thickness data recorded during an inspection

5 Local metal loss Used to evaluate single and networks of Local Thin Areas
(LTAs), and groove-like flaws in pressurized components.
Detailed thickness profiles are required for the assessment.
The assessment procedures can also be utilized to evaluate
blisters.

6 Pitting corrosion Used to evaluate widely scattered pitting, localized pitting,

pitting which occurs within a region of local metal loss, and
a region of localized metal loss located within a region of
widely scattered pitting. The assessment procedures can also
be utilized to evaluate a network of closely spaced blisters.
The assessment procedures utilize the methodology
developed for local metal loss

7 Blisters and Used to evaluate either isolated, or networks of blisters and

laminations laminations. The assessment guidelines include provisions
for blisters located at weld joints and structural
discontinuities such as shell transitions, stiffening rings, and
nozzles

8 Weld Used to evaluate stresses resulting from geometric

misalignment and discontinuities in shell type structures including weld
misalignment and shell distortions (e.g. out-of-roundness,
shell distortions
bulges, and dents)
9 Crack-like flaws Used to evaluate crack-like flaws. Recommendations for
evaluating crack growth including environmental concerns
are also covered

10 High temperature Used to determine the remaining life of a component

Operation and operating in the creep regime. The remaining life procedures
are limited to the initiation of a crack.
creep

11 Fire damage Used to evaluate equipment subject to fire damage. A

methodology is provided to rank and screen components for
evaluation based on the heat exposure experienced during
the fire. The assessment procedures of the other

Table 2: Organization Different Sections of API 579

Title
Overview
1
General
The scope and overall requirements for an FFS assessment are
provided
2
Applicability
andlimitations of the FFSassessment procedures
The applicability and limitations for each FFS assessmentprocedure are clearly indicated; these
limitations are stated inthe front of each section for quick reference
3
Data requirements
The data requirements required for the FFS assessment are
clearly outlined; these data requirements include:
• Original equipment design data
• Maintenance and operational history
• Required data/measurements for a FFS assessment
• Recommendations for inspection technique and sizing
requirements
4
Assessment techniques
and acceptance criteria
Detailed assessment rules are provided for three levels of
assessment: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
5
Remaining
life
evaluation
Guidelines for performing a remaining life estimate areprovided for the purpose of establishing
an inspection intervalin conjunction with the governing inspection code
6
Remediation
Guidelines are presented on methods to mitigate and/or controlfuture damage. In many cases,
changes can be made to thecomponent or to the operating conditions to mitigate theprogression
of damage
7
In-service monitoring
Guidelines for monitoring damage while the component is in-service are provided, these
guidelines are useful if a futuredamage rate cannot be estimated easily or the estimatedremaining
life is short.
In-service monitoring is one method whereby future damage orconditions leading to future
damage can be assessed orconfidence in the remaining life estimate can be increased.
8
Documentation
Guidelines for documentation for an assessment are provided;
the general rule is – A practitioner should be able to repeat the
analysis from the documentation without consulting an
individual originally involved in the FFS assessment
9
References
A comprehensive list of technical references used in thedevelopment of the FFS assessment
procedures is provided;references to codes and standards are provided in this section
10
Tables and figures
Tables and figures including logic diagrams are usedextensively in each section to clarify
assessment rules andprocedures
11
Example problems
A number of example problems are provided, which
demonstrate the application of the FFS assessment procedure

Lectures on Welding, NDE and Integrity Assessment

Lecture number 19 a, Page 6 of 33
Table 3: API 579 Appendices
Appendix Title
Overview
A
Thickness,
MAWP
andmembrane stressequations for aFFS assessment
Equations for the thickness, MAWP, and membrane stress are givenfor most of the common
pressurized components. These equationsare provided to assist international practitioners who
may not haveaccess to the ASME code and who need to determine if the localdesign code is
similar to the ASME code for which the FFSassessment procedures were primarily designed for.
B
Stress
analysisoverview for aFFS Assessment
Recommendations for stress analysis techniques that can be used toperform an FFS assessment
are provided including guidelines forfinite element analysis
C
Compendium of
stress
intensity
factor
Solutions
A compendium of stress intensity factor solutions for commonpressurized components (i.e.
cylinders, spheres, nozzle, etc.) is given.These solutions are used for the assessment of crack like
flaws. Thesolutions presented represent the latest technology and have been re-derived using the
finite element method in conjunction with weightfunctions
D
Compendium ofreference stresssolutions
A compendium of reference stress solutions for common pressurizedcomponents (i.e. cylinders,
spheres, nozzle, etc.) is given. Thesesolutions are used for the assessment of crack-like flaws
E
Residual stresses
in
a
FFS
evaluation
Procedures to estimate the through-wall residual stress fields fordifferent weld geometries are
provided; this information is requiredfor the assessment of crack like flaws
F
Material
properties for a
FFS assessment
Material properties required for all FFS assessments are provided
including:
• Strength parameters (yield and tensile stress)
• Physical properties (i.e. Young’s Modulus, etc.)
• Fracture toughness
• Data for fatigue crack growth calculations
• Fatigue curves (Initiation)
• Material data for creep analysis including remaining life and
creep crack growth
G
Deterioration and
failure modes
An overview of the types of flaws and damage mechanisms that canoccur is provided,
concentrating on service-induced degradationmechanisms. This appendix only provides an
abridged overview ondamage mechanisms; API 571 is currently being developed toprovide a
definitive reference for damage mechanisms that can beused with API 579 and API 580
H
Validation
An overview of the studies used to validate the general and localmetal loss, and the crack-like
flaw assessment procedures areprovided
I
Glossary of terms
and definitions
Definitions for common terms used throughout the sections and
appendices of API 579 are given
J
Technical
inquiries
Forwarded to the API CRE FFS task group for resolution