New Insights into Coupled Effects of Hydrogen Embrittlement and Corrosion Defects
Published 24 June, 2026
Research Overview:
Blending hydrogen into existing natural gas pipelines serves as a critical pathway for decarbonization and hydrogen economy development, yet the coupling effect of hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion defects compromises pipeline structural integrity. Most existing corrosion models are developed based on tests of pure natural gas pipelines, with no consideration of actual hydrogen-containing environments.
The research team led by Zhu Xiankui adopted the ABAQUS finite element method, based on the large deformation framework and von Mises plasticity theory, to systematically investigate the coupling effects of corrosion depth (under 4 steel grades, 3 radius-thickness ratios and 3 wall thicknesses) and different hydrogen blending ratios on burst strength. The Zhu-Leis flow solution was extended to defect-free hydrogen pipelines, and a semi-empirical burst model for long corrosion defects was developed, which is validated against multiple yield criteria.
Results indicate that hydrogen embrittlement has limited impact on burst strength, while corrosion depth is the dominant factor; the Zhu-Leis criteria is most applicable to defect-free pipelines, and the engineering ultimate tensile strength criterion matches the measured data of long corroded pipelines best.
The research has revealed the quantitative coupling mechanism between hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion, corrected the cognitive bias of the industry regarding the hazards of hydrogen embrittlement, and provided critical support for pipeline design standards and integrity assessment.
Team Introduction:
Zhu Xiankui
Zhu Xiankui, Chief Engineer at Savannah River National Laboratory, USA; he holds a Ph.D. in Solid Mechanics from Tsinghua University. Dr. Zhu is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of elastic-plastic fracture constraint theory and pipeline integrity assessment. He has published over 300 academic papers. Dr. Zhu was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award of Savannah River National Laboratory in 2023. In addition, he is a member of ASME and holds a key position in the Pressure Vessels and Piping Division of the Society.
Recently published in this journal is the article "Parametric Study of Burst Strength for Hydrogen Blended Natural Gas Pipelines with Long Corrosion Defects" by the research team of Zhu Xian‑Kui. This study systematically investigates the coupled effects of hydrogen embrittlement, corrosion defects, and pipeline geometric parameters on the burst strength of hydrogen‑blended natural gas pipelines, and develops a semi‑empirical burst model applicable to hydrogen pipelines containing long corrosion defects.
Citation:
Herrington, J., Zhu X-K., 2026. Parametric Study of Burst Strength for Hydrogen Blended Natural Gas Pipelines with Long Corrosion Defects. Journal of Pipeline Science and Engineering 6(4), 100529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpse.2026.100529.
Original article link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667143326000983
