Piping Stress Analysis 

PIPING AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: WHAT IS PIPING STRESS ANALYSIS?

Piping Stress Analysis is a pivotal element of Piping and Structural Engineering. It ensures your piping system complies with regulations, identifies any weaknesses within the system, and enables you to implement modifications to create a more efficient system.

Our analysis covers various factors, including internal pressure, temperature changes, weight, and external forces, to determine stresses, displacements, and reactions in the piping system. Using specialised software, our expert team interprets analysis results to guide design decisions, material selection, and industry regulation compliance.

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Types of Piping Stress Analysis

At IDEA, we offer two forms of piping stress analysis to address different aspects of system behaviour and loading conditions.

Static analysis focuses on steady-state or slowly changing loads, assuming the system is in equilibrium. It evaluates stress and displacements caused by constant forces such as gravity, internal pressure and thermal expansion. This method assesses the piping system’s ability to withstand everyday operating conditions and sustained loads.

Dynamic analysis, on the other hand, examines time-varying loads and system responses. It considers inertial effects, acceleration and the overall transient behaviour of a piping system. This approach focuses on the system’s performance under rapidly changing conditions such as water hammer effects, sudden valve closures and even earthquakes.

If you are unsure of what type of piping stress analysis you require, our experts are here to help! We determine different aspects, such as the requirements of the project, compliance with regulations and system behaviour, to help guide you on what type of analysis you need.

Our Piping Stress Analysis Services

To give you peace of mind, we conduct all of our piping stress analyses in line with numerous regulations, including ASME B31.1, B31.3, B31.4, B31.8, B31.11, and BS EN 13480. Our range of piping stress analyses include:

• - Thermal Analysis
• - Dead Weight Analysis
• - Seismic Analysis
• - Wind Load Analysis
• - Transient Analysis
• - Component Load Evaluation
• - Fatigue Analysis
• - Flange Analysis
• - Relief Valve Operation
• - Fluid Hammer Analysis
• - Vibration Analysis
• - Slug Flow Analysis

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Ensure Your Piping System is Working at Its Best

Conducting a pipe stress analysis is crucial for ensuring the safety, reliability and efficiency of industrial piping systems. These analyses help prevent catastrophic failures, leaks and operational disruptions by identifying potential stress points, overstress components and areas of excessive displacement. Ultimately, a piping stress analysis can help:

• - Evaluate and minimise the impact of thermal expansion and pressure changes on piping networks.
• - Analyse the consequences of sudden load changes, especially slug flow and water hammer effects.
• - Identify areas where pipes may lift off their supports.
• - Verify loads on equipment nozzles comply with regulations and specific limitations.
• - Ensure all pipe stresses remain within the allowable limits defined by codes and standards.
• - Guide piping system designs to meet the client’s requirements.

How We Conduct Piping Stress Analysis

Before we use any software, our experts will survey your site, draw upon their knowledge and experience to consider any potential issues, and complete preliminary calculations. This gives us a greater understanding of the piping system as a whole so we can make a better judgement.

We then use CAESAR II, a specialised piping modelling and simulation software, to simulate system behaviour, identify potential failure points, and optimise support placement. Here is a breakdown of our piping stress analysis approach:

• - Data Collection: Essential information about the piping system, such as piping isometrics, material specifications, operating conditions, and design codes, is input into the software.
• - Model Creation: A highly accurate 3D model of the piping system, including pipe geometry, material properties, support locations, and equipment connections, is created.
• - Load Case Definition: Various load cases are defined, including sustained loads (weight, pressure), occasional loads (wind, seismic), and thermal loads for different operating scenarios.
• - Analysis Setup: The engineer specifies analysis parameters, such as allowable stress limits, code compliance requirements, and specific analysis types (static, dynamic, fatigue).
• - Static Analysis: The software calculates stresses, displacements, and support reactions for sustained and thermal load cases. This helps identify overstressed areas and optimise support placement.
• - Dynamic Analysis: For systems subject to time-varying loads, engineers perform modal analysis, response spectrum analysis, or time history analysis as required.
• - Code Compliance Check: The software compares calculated stresses against allowable limits defined by applicable codes.
• - Nozzle Load Evaluation: Reaction forces and moments at equipment nozzles are checked against allowable values provided by equipment manufacturers.
• - Support Design: Based on calculated loads, appropriate pipe supports are selected or designed, including the creation of spring hanger datasheets.
• - Iteration and Optimisation: If any issues are identified (e.g., overstressed pipes, excessive displacements), the engineer modifies the design and re-runs the analysis until all criteria are met.
• - Documentation: Finally, a comprehensive report is generated, detailing analysis methods, results, and recommendations. This typically includes stress isometrics, support load summaries, and code compliance reports.

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Piping Stress Analysis Case Study

Piping Stress Analysis for Critical Lines in COMAH Tier-1 Site

A piping stress analysis was conducted on a high-temperature steam system to confirm code compliance and develop support loads.

Key Points:

• - Analysis conducted to ASME B31.3.
• - Utilised CAESAR II software to create a model and simulate the piping system.
• - Detailed reviews of the piping systems were conducted, including pipe geometry, material properties and operating conditions.
• - Analysis confirmed the loads were acceptable.
• - Rest, guide and anchor supports were recommended.
• - A Support Design [link to new page when live] was created.

IDEA: Experts in Piping Stress Analysis

At IDEA, we prioritise safety by conducting detailed analyses of piping systems to ensure they are working at their optimum. With a comprehensive analysis considering multiple different factors and detailed reporting with expert recommendations, you can increase the reliability and efficiency of your piping system with this analysis. Contact us today to see how we can help transform your piping system.

Piping Stress Analysis FAQs

What are the criteria for pipe stress analysis?

At IDEA, we conduct comprehensive piping stress analyses to cover a range of areas to ensure nothing is missed. Some examples of the criteria we follow include:

• - Code Compliance
• - Allowable Stress Limits
• - Displacement Limits
• - Support and Anchor Loads
• - Nozzle Load Compliance
• - Thermal Expansion Management
• - Vibration Control
• - Flexibility and Rigidity Balance
• - Fatigue Considerations
• - And more…

How to do stress analysis in piping?

Our comprehensive piping stress analysis process covers all bases:

1. 1. Data Collection: We gather detailed information about your piping system.
2. 2. Parameter Definition: We establish clear boundaries and criteria for the analysis.
3. 3. In-Depth Analysis: Using CAESAR II, we perform extensive stress calculations.
4. 4. Result Evaluation: Our experts interpret the analysis outcomes thoroughly.
5. 5. Detailed Reporting: We provide comprehensive reports with actionable recommendations.

This thorough approach enables you to implement targeted improvements, ensuring your piping system operates efficiently and reliably. The result? Long-term cost savings and enhanced performance.

How do you reduce pipe stress?

Our comprehensive analysis results serve as the foundation for intelligent support design. By identifying potential weak points in your piping system, our experts can create tailored support solutions. This targeted approach leads to significant improvements in your system's overall performance. The result is a more robust and efficient piping network optimised to handle its operational demands.

If you're looking to upgrade your piping system, our specialists can provide expert Support Design services.