March 2005

Process Industry Practices

Structural
PIP STE05535
Vessel Circular Platform Detail Guidelines
PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES
In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.
This Practice is subject to revision at any time by the responsible Function Team and
will be reviewed every 5 years. This Practice will be revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn.
Information on whether this Practice has been revised may be found at www.pip.org.
Process Industry Practices (PIP), Construction Industry Institute, The
University of Texas at Austin, 3925 West Braker Lane (R4500), Austin,
Texas 78759. PIP member companies and subscribers may copy this Practice
for their internal use. Changes, overlays, addenda, or modifications of any
kind are not permitted within any PIP Practice without the express written
authorization of PIP.
PIP will not consider requests for interpretations (inquiries) for this Practice.
Not printed with State funds
March 2005
Process Industry Practices Page 1 of 3
Process Industry Practices
Structural
PIP STE05535
Vessel Circular Platform Detail Guidelines
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.................................. 2
1.1 Purpose ............................................. 2
1.2 Scope................................................. 2
2. References ................................... 2
2.1 Process Industry Practices ................ 2
3. Platform Design Loads................ 2
4. Additional Platform Design
Considerations ........................... 3
PIP STE05535
Vessel Circular Platform Detail Guidelines March 2005
Page 2 of 3 Process Industry Practices
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This Practice provides guidance for the engineers who are designing circular
platforms in accordance with PIP STF05535, Vessel Circular Platform Details, and
for the engineers who design the vessels to support these vessel platforms.
1.2 Scope
This Practice describes the design basis for the platforms detailed in PIP STF05535
and circumstances that should be considered before using PIP STF05535. A table
showing the platform design loads for the vessel clips is provided. The table should
be used to check whether a vessel requires reinforcement to receive the platform
loads.
2. References
Applicable parts of the following Practices shall be considered an integral part of this
Practice. The edition in effect on the date of contract award shall be used, except as
otherwise noted. Short titles will be used herein where appropriate.
2.1 Process Industry Practices (PIP)
PIP STC01015 - Structural Design Criteria
PIP STF05535 - Vessel Circular Platform Details
3. Platform Design Loads
3.1 The platform design loads provided in Table 1 are based on a 6-ft (1,830-mm) arc
length of outside platform perimeter between the supporting brackets for the
platform detailed in PIP STF05535.
3.2 The platform design loads provided in Table 1 are based upon a live load of 75 psf
(3.6 kN/m2) as required by PIP STC01015 and the dead load of the actual material
weight.
3.3 The concentrated load of 1,000 lb (4.5 kN) on an area of 2 ft - 6 inches x
2 ft - 6 inches (750 mm x 750 mm) required by PIP STC01015 will normally not
govern the clip design and is not used for the platform detailed in PIP STF05535.
However, the engineer should consider specific cases to verify the governing case.
PIP STE05535
March 2005 Vessel Circular Platform Detail Guidelines
Process Industry Practices Page 3 of 3
Table 1. Platform Design Loads
Platform Width V M
1
M
2
mm Kips kN Kip-Ft kN-M Kip-Ft kN-M
up to 3'-0" up to 910 1.77 7.87 1.87 2.54 2.97 4.02
3'-6" 1060 2.03 9.03 2.66 3.61 3.92 5.31
4'-0" 1220 2.30 10.23 3.58 4.85 5.01 6.79
4'-6" 1370 2.56 11.39 4.63 6.28 6.23 8.45
5'-0" 1520 2.83 12.59 5.82 7.89 7.58 10.28
5'-6" 1680 3.09 13.75 7.13 9.66 9.06 12.28
6'-0" 1830 3.35 13.50 8.58 11.63 10.68 14.48
Where:
V = Shear at centerline of bolts
M1= Moment at face of haunch for beam design
M2= Moment at centerline of bolts for bolt and bracket design (Bracket refers to
the section of the combined beam channel and gusset plate.)
Note:
Moment for vessel clip design is equal to M2 + (V) (X), where X is the distance
from the centerline of bolts to the face of the vessel.
4. Additional Platform Design Considerations
4.1 The beam, bolt, and haunch design should be checked if either of the following
conditions applies:
a. Additional loading from pipe supports, maintenance loads, etc., exists
b. The temperature of the vessel attachment (i.e., clip, bolts, bracket) is above
350F (175C)
4.2 Modification of the design and/or the addition of personnel protection may be
required for the circumstances described in paragraph 4.1.
4.3 If serrated grating is used in lieu of plain grating, the serrated grating capacity should
be verified for platform width.