Abstract: A method for checking a flexible line, the flexible line including at least one layer of armors (24, 25) surrounded by an external sheath (30), the external sheath (30) delimiting an internal space (33) receiving the layer of armors (24, 25) and including at least one medium (M) at the interface between the external sheath (30) and the internal space (33). The method includes sending an ultrasonic signal on a region to be checked of the external sheath (30), and receiving the reflected signal at the interface between the region to be checked of the external sheath (30) and the internal space (33) facing the region to be checked of the external sheath (30); and analyzing the polarity of the reflected signal and determining, according to the analyzed polarity, at least the nature of the medium (M) at the interface.

Abstract: A method for checking a flexible line, the flexible line including at least one layer of armors (24, 25) surrounded by an external sheath (30), the external sheath (30) delimiting an internal space (33) receiving the layer of armors (24, 25) and including at least one medium (M) at the interface between the external sheath (30) and the internal space (33). The method includes sending an ultrasonic signal on a region to be checked of the external sheath (30), and receiving the reflected signal at the interface between the region to be checked of the external sheath (30) and the internal space (33) facing the region to be checked of the external sheath (30); and analyzing the polarity of the reflected signal and determining, according to the analyzed polarity, at least the nature of the medium (M) at the interface.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a device for monitoring the curvature of a stiffener (18) of a flexible sea line: A monitoring device has a deformable rod (26) having a central axis (C) and at least three optical sensors (29, 30, 31) maintained pressed against the perimeter of the rod (26). The method includes the steps, for different consecutive orientations of bending planes around the central axis; bending the rod (26) according to the same curvature radius; measuring the deformation of the sensors (29, 30, 31) during the bending; using the measured deformations to extrapolate a sine function of the deformation for each sensor according to the orientation of the bending plane; calculating error-correction coefficients according to the angular shift between the extrapolated sine functions and according to the amplitude of the extrapolated sine curves.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a device for monitoring the curvature of a stiffener (18) of a flexible sea line: A monitoring device has a deformable rod (26) having a central axis (C) and at least three optical sensors (29, 30, 31) maintained pressed against the perimeter of the rod (26). The method includes the steps, for different consecutive orientations of bending planes around the central axis; bending the rod (26) according to the same curvature radius; measuring the deformation of the sensors (29, 30, 31) during the bending; using the measured deformations to extrapolate a sine function of the deformation for each sensor according to the orientation of the bending plane; calculating error-correction coefficients according to the angular shift between the extrapolated sine functions and according to the amplitude of the extrapolated sine curves.

Abstract: Method for measuring the gap separating a vault of at least one end fitting and a given element of one end of a thermal part of a pipe, comprising; moving an autonomous measuring detector inside the said pipe, carrying out at least one series of measurements during the movement of the detector in the end fitting, the measuring comprising detecting in real time, the passage of the consecutive transitions between the vault of the end of the terminal part of the pipe, triggering the measurements for a predetermined time between the detections of the transitions, storing the said measurements in the form of signals in at least one memory and processing the stored signals in order to determine the gap (D) and separating two consecutive transitions. The device for measuring includes two eddy current detectors on a support wound through the pipe and a memory for the detected signals and a processing circuit for processing the signals in memory.

Abstract: Products with a wall (1) comprising at least one layer (11) of ferromagnetic material may be tested by magnetising said layer using magnetising means (30) to generate therein a remanent magnetisation (H) parallel to the wall surface, then moving magnetic field sensors (2) along the wall and measuring, in the presence of said remanent magnetisation (H) alone, the magnetic field adjacent to the product surface, whereby changes in the field measured along said wall indicate defects (22) in said layer of magnetic material. The method is particularly suitable for testing elongate products in which the layer to be tested is not on the surface. Specifically, the method is suitable for testing pipelines or tubes for transporting petroleum.