Experimental study of natural frequencies of notched homogeneous and inhomogeneous specimens made of API X65 steel in low-blow drop weight test

The purpose of this paper is to experimentally investigate the natural frequencies of notched homogeneous and inhomogeneous specimen made from API X65 steel. The specimens cut from spiral welded pipe, tested on an equipped low blow drop weight tester with accelerometer. The tests were performed according to the API 5L standard. The homogeneous specimen was seamless and included only the base metal, while the inhomogeneous specimen included the weld seam and three zones of base metal, heat affected zone and weld. In the present study the specimens were subjected to hammer low blow in the middle without plastic deformation. The laboratory data (voltage-time) were transferred from time to frequency domain using Fourier transformation and the imposed oscillations were removed from the frequency signal by the Butterworth low pass filter. As the hammer drop height increased, the natural frequency in the specimens was almost constant. The natural frequency in the inhomogeneous specimen was less than the homogeneous specimen. Having information about the natural frequency, it is possible to prevent the destructive phenomenon of resonance in the main test (complete fracture of the specimen). Also, using the results of equipped low blow drop weight test and knowing the natural frequency, the dynamic stress intensity factor of the test specimen can be determined.