ABSTRACT
This paper is based on the latest in a series of data collection and analysis exercises carried out jointly by the Safety and Reliability Directorate (SRD) and the Associated Offices Technical Committee (AOTC). Previous surveys have been reported by Smith and Warwick (1981, 1974) and Phillips and Warwick (1967). Previously the surveys were confined to vessels constructed to the Class I requirements of major design codes. However, with the development of existing design codes, and the increasing number of codes actually in use, this distinction has become less easy to apply. Thus it was decided that the latest survey should include vessels of all classes of construction, providing a more general picture of failure data for all types of vessel.
The overall failure rate for all vessel types and failure modes is 5.1 × 10−5 per vessel year. It has, however, been possible to identify separate failure rates for boilers, steam receivers, air receivers and ‘other’ vessels. Four different categories of failure mode have also been identified, namely disruption, deformation leakage and inspection. This has enabled separate failure rates to be specified for each failure mode and vessel type.
