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Piping Systems
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Piping Systems
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support integrity (to prevent the pipe from falling). If operability is required, then
the emergency power and distribution system may also need to be included.
This first step is essential. It defines the scope and therefore the cost of the seismic
retrofit effort. It is also the foundation of the seismic safety logic for the facility.
With the scope clearly defined, what follows?
First comes a scoping walk-down. The facility/maintenance engineer and the
piping/seismic engineer will inspect the equipment and piping in scope, and will
determine the logistics (permits, ladders, scaffolds, lights, etc.) required to access and
inspect the system. They also confirm the scope and finalize the P&ID (piping and
instrumentation diagram) and the P&EL (piping and equipment list).
The scoping walk-down is followed by data gathering. The piping/seismic engineer will
assemble any data, drawings, vendor reports related to the piping and equipment
materials, original fabrication and inspections, leak testing, supports and anchorage
details.
At this stage, the seismic input is defined. It could be as simple as a peak seismic
acceleration from the governing building code, or as complex as site-specific, instructure, three-dimensional response spectra.
At the same time, the facility/maintenance engineer will compile maintenance histories,
with emphasis on pipe leaks, repairs and equipment performance.
With the information gathered, the piping/seismic engineer is ready for the seismic walkdown, which is followed by an evaluation and sometimes an analysis and conclusions
and recommendations for upgrades.
In summary, the process is as follows:
! Initial P&ID (owner)
! Initial P&EL (owner)
! Scoping walk-down (facility/maintenance engineer and piping/seismic engineer)
! Data Gathering (facility/maintenance engineer and piping/seismic engineer)
! Seismic walk-down (piping/seismic engineer)
! Evaluation (piping/seismic engineer)
! Recommendations (facility/maintenance engineer and piping/seismic engineer)
What is a seismic walk-down?
A seismic walk-down is a detailed inspection of the piping system, looking for and
recording a series of attributes important to the seismic adequacy of the system. The
piping/seismic engineer uses a checklist, makes notes, records dimensions and takes
photographs to document this effort.
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Starting with a clean sheet of paper, where should the seismic design process start?
First, start the design process paying no attention to seismic loads, which means:
(1) Materials: Select the pipe or tubing material compatible with the service (fluid,
environment, pressure, temperature).
(2) System Design: Size, route and slope the piping to perform the required system
function. Select equipment, instruments and components as necessary.
(3) Mechanical Design: Consider the operating loads (pressure, temperature, weight,
flow transients, wind if outdoor) and apply the governing code to determine wall
thickness, final layout and hanger and support spacing. Specify overpressure
protection (pressure relief device size and location).
(4) Fabrication: Specify the types of pipe joints, weld quality and fabrication details.
(5) Inspection: Specify the governing code for type and extent of shop and field
examinations (visual, surface or volumetric).
(6) Leak Testing: Specify leak test requirements (hydrostatic, sensitive leak, soap
bubble leak detection, etc.).
What is meant by governing code?
Governing code refers to the applicable pipe design and fabrication code. These are:
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Follow Codes and Standards for Design and Fabrication of Critical Systems
Federal laws require oil and gas pipelines to comply with ASME B31.4 and B31.8
respectively. Some states or local jurisdictions require compliance to other ASME B31
codes. Whether required by regulation or not, a critical piping or tubing system, one that
will be called upon to operate in case of earthquake, should be designed and fabricated to
a piping code.
We do not mention nuclear power plant piping (ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
Section III) for which the seismic design rules, methods of analysis and acceptance
criteria have been strictly specified through the plant licensing process.
At what point is seismic introduced into the design?
Once the designer has developed a competent design for operating loads, and specified
a national standard for design and fabrication, the piping system is analyzed for seismic
loads.
For that purpose, the piping designer will need the input response spectra in each
direction, at 5% damping. The spectra should envelope the elevation of the highest
support attachment point to the structure. The seismic spectra are applied to the elastic,
linear model of the piping system, in three orthogonal directions: North-South, EastWest, and vertical.
The analysis could also be based on static peak acceleration in each direction.
In either case, by dynamic or static analysis, it will become quickly evident that lateral
bracing is required to resist seismic loads. Experience indicates that, having competently
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designed the pipe for normal loads, placing a lateral brace every four weight supports is a
good starting point for seismic design and analysis.
What is the objective of a seismic analysis of the piping system?
After layout and bracing the piping based on the designers experience, the system is
seismically analyzed to verify the following:
(1) The longitudinal stresses in the pipe do not exceed the following values:
PD /(4t) + 0.75i MW/Z < S
PD/ (4t) + 0.75i (MW + MS)/Z < 2Sy
iMT/Z < f(1.25SC + 0.25Sh)
where
P = internal pressure, psi
D = outer pipe diameter, in
t = pipe wall thickness, in
i = stress intensification factor
MW = resultant moment due to weight, in-lb
Z = pipe section modulus, in3
S = applicable code stress allowable (typically the smaller of (2/3)yield or (1/3)
ultimate), psi
MS=elastically calculated seismic moment, resultant of three directions, seismic
anchor motion are to be included here, unless they are added to the resultant moment
range MT, in-lb
SY = minimum specified material yield stress, psi
MT = resultant moment range due to thermal expansion between a cold or ambient
temperature TC and a hot operating temperature Th, in-lb
SC = allowable stress at cold or ambient temperature, psi
Sh = allowable stress at hot operating temperature, psi
f = fatigue factor equals 1 for 7000 or fewer cycles, less than 1 for over 7000 cycles
(2) The support loads are within the capacities of support members, which include
catalog items (such as struts or clamps), steel structures, welds, and anchor bolts.
(3) The reactions on equipment and component nozzles (vessels, pumps, heat
exchangers, valves, etc.) are within the manufacturers limits.
(4) The loads or movements at mechanical joints are within the manufacturers limits.
(5) The pipe sway will not result in impacts or interferences with adjacent equipment
or structures.
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and rerun the analysis every time a change is made to the piping? If a valve is replaced
with a new, heavier valve, will the analysis be rerun? Will the analysis keep up with
maintenance modifications?
Is there a need for more testing and research, to improve our methods of piping
seismic design?
Look at the large variety of piping materials and joints:
(a) Above ground and underground.
(b) Metallic and non-metallic.
(c) Metallic include: ferrous (cast or ductile iron, carbon or alloy steels) and nonferrous (aluminum and nickel alloys, copper, etc.).
(d) Non-metallic include: plastics (PVC, CPVC, polyethylene, etc.), concrete, fiber
reinforced plastics, glass, etc.
(e) Pressure service (above 15 psig), vacuum service or gravity flow (for example
water supply or drainage).
(f) Welded joints (arc welded, soldered, brazed and bonded) or mechanically joined
pipe (threaded, specialty expanded or flared joints, specialty bolted couplings,
ANSI flanges, etc.).
Seismic design of above ground metallic piping systems is a mature engineering
discipline. Our knowledge in this field and the analytical tools are quite good.
Some more fatigue or shake table data for plastic and fiber reinforced pipes and joints
would be useful, and should be conducted.
Generally, manufacturers of specialty pipe joints focus on their pressure rating, with little
attention to bending strength. If these joints are used in critical, seismically designed
systems, the fitting manufacturers should develop stress intensification factors for their
joints, and some did.
Overall, today we have the knowledge, the experience and the analytical tools to
efficiently design above ground piping systems to safely withstand the effects of
earthquakes.
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