Pressure Vessel Research Committee
WRC—50 Years of Progrsss Through Cooperative Research
Local Stresses in Vessels—Notes on the Application of
WRC-107 and WRC-297
LAC, Peng!
‘The welding Research Council (WRC) Bulletin No. 107 {1]
and Baitetin No. 297 [2} are two of the most important desiga,
‘guides ever published for the design of pressure Vessels. Wide-
ly used in the design of attachments and nozls comaections,
they have become indispensable tools fs recent years.
WRC-107 and WRC-297 are lavaluable due to their come
bined consideration of theory, experimental data, and
engineering judgment. In sores instances the theoretical values
have been adjusted several hundred percent upward to match
the avallable experimental results. They are reliable tools
‘without which the so-called “Design by Analysis” eppreach
would have been impractical, Unfortunately many designers
have misapplied the data presented, thus resulting in inconsls-
tent designs. This article describes the data availabie im these
‘wo bulletins acd explains the aatuse of inconsistency incusred
in some designs. A supplemental formula is then developed
for calculating the combined maximum stress intensity to be
used i designs.
WRC Bulletin No, 107, WRC-107 was frst published in
August 1965 [1]. It was bared on Professor Bijicard’s
Sheoretical work, with some adjustments, made based on
avtilabie experimental data, A few revisions have been made
ince is frst publication, The latest revision made in March
labeled some"of the curves. WRC-107 has been used
widely in the design of vessel nozzles and attachments. It was
ene of the major driving forces in promoting the “Design by
Analysis” philosophy. The bolletin covers bock spherical ang
cvindricat vessels,
In spherical vessels, the original theoretics! work was based
on courd rigid inserts and round nozzle connections, Square
jnsens of conneccions can be anelyzed using an equivalent
round attackment having a diameter equal to 8/7 of the ar
tachment width, On the other hand, the original theoretical
work for the cylindrival vessel was Based om square and ree-
‘angular-shaped uniform loads acting on unpecforated vessels.
Round autackments can be analyzed using an equivalent
square having the width of 7/8 of the attachment diameter.
Besause of the assumption of the unperforated shell, the ap-
“Peng Engineering, Houstun, Tex 7083,
CCootsbured bythe ressare Vessels nd Piping Dison for publication bs tke
Jovnsat or Puzssuns Visas Tacaococr, Masur secaived by the PVP
Divion, December 21, 1987.
108 / Vol. 140, FEBRUARY 1988
plicability of the cylindrical vesset portion of the bulletin is
United to rigid inserts, The Bulletin does not recommend any
specific method in analyzing an actual nozzle connection in
the cylindrical vessel i is left largely to the designers to make
heir own judgment.
‘WRC-107 presenis detalted tabular forms for calculating
auresses et four major axis locations. Stresses at both inside
and outside surfaces on these locations can be readily
cateulated following the step-by-step procedure ovtlined in the
form, The final results are the total skin stress intensities at
shese four locations in the sbell, No separate membrane siress
Intensity Is given, nor is the stress in the nozzle caicuiated.
WRC Bulletin No, 297. WRC-297 was published in
August 1984 (2). It is a supplement to WRC-107 end is
specifically applicable to oslindrical nozzles in cylindrical
vessels. This bullerin was based on Professor Stecle’s
theoretical work, 41 gives data for larger D/T ratios than in
WRC-107, and ‘also provides beiter readability for small
values of d/D by ploning the curvesusing h=@/VBT" asthe
abscissa. Most importantly, the new theory considers the
opening on the shel together with the restraining effect of the
nozzle wall. This is 2 betier model than the unperforated shell
used in WRC.107 for simulating the nozzle connections ia
ylindrical vessels.
Because most pressure vessel and piping codes have
ferent allowable stress criteria for differant siress categories,
‘WRC.297 emphasizes the separation of membrane stress end
skin bending sttess, Two examples are given oudining the
detailed procedures for calculating membrane aud total stress
intensities at points located in the longitudinal and the
‘ransverse planes. Both shell and noze stresses are
calculated,
Loestion of Muxiaum Stress
‘The fact that the examples given in both WRC-107 and
WRE-297 specifically outline the procedees for ealeuiating
stresses at the four major axis comers, has led designers 10
‘think thar the maximum stress inthe conection must be ome
of those stresses. This presumption iatroduees inconsistency
‘aad nonconservatisan ia the desien of nozzle and arachment
connections, The maximam stress fs got normally focated at
these comers. Although the calculation involves only she
secondary stress which itself involves various uncertaitties, &
Fig.t Versel attachments
Transactions of the ASMEa oo er
Fig. 2 Stogs on sphestcal shell
certain emount of deviation is always expected. For instance,
as much as a 10-percent difference may be made just from
the chart by different persons, He vever, just because
‘of is inherent unceriainty, effort is needed to meke it 2s con-
sistent 2s possible. Anything that can be done to improve its
certainty ‘should be done. In cases when deviation is
‘unavoidable, its preferred to deviate on the conservative side.
To demonstrate when an incousistency may occur, the at-
tachment on a spherical abell can be used 2s an example.
Figure 2(¢) shows @ bending moment, M, acting on a nozzle
conection at @ spherical vessel. By choosing & coordinate
system as shown in Fig, 2(0) the soresses at the four mrajor axis
Points ace SA=S, SB=S, SC=0, aud SD=0. However, if a
designer happens to have the coordinate system set up as
shown in Fig, 2(), the applied moment will be decomposed in-
fo My=M,=0.7G71M two components. The stresses at the
four major axis points, in this case, are SA=SB=
SC=SD=0.7071S. This stress is about 40 percent below the
expecied maximum stress. The same nazzle connection and
the same applied moment, yet the calculated stresses are
substantially different depending solely on how the coordicate
system is setup. From the foregoing demonstration, itis clear
that in Fig, 2(¢), the maximum stress is not located at the ma-
Jor axis zoints, but at the off-axis points P and N. In general,
Hf the moments acting sround both coordiaate axes are
nonzero, the maximum stress is not located at the major axcs.
‘This warning was properly stated in Paragraph 3.3.5,
WRC-107, which said, “However, in the general cast of ar-
bitrary loading, one has no assurance that the absolure imax
am sess intensity in che siell will be located at one of the
eight poims considered in the above discussion.” The eight
points mectioned are the inside and outside surfaces of the
four major axis points. Strangely, this message has been large-
4y ignored.
Maximum Stress Intensity
‘The calculation of the stresses at the four major axis points
is helpful in understanding the stress distzibuden, However,
for the design purposes itis essential to calculate the maximirm
stress intensity occurring throughout the entire connection. In
developing the calculation procedure, the following notations
are used:
P = radiat load
Mg = circumferential moment (or moment in [-1
disection)
‘AM, = longitudinat moment (or moment in 2-2
dicection)
Mg, = total bending moment
‘My = torsional moment
Vz = circumferential force {or shear force in 2-2
direction)
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology
¥, = longitudinal force (or shear force in 14
direction}
V = total shear force
Sy(L) = 1 disection J category stress due to lead Zs
ier, 8, for tadial and circumferential, respective.
ly; /= Mb, for membrane and bending,
respectively
SS m shear stress
‘The applied ioading cun generally be divided inco four com-
pouent groups. They are radial force, bending moment, tor-
sional moment, and shear foree. Im the following discussion
the stress contributed by ezci componeat group is described
frst. They are then combined to become the maximum siress.
The discussion follows the WRC-297 stress oriencation of
radial and circumferential directions with respect to the n02-
ile, Because of the different stress orientation edopied in the
cylindrical shel! portion of the WRC-107, reorientation of the
WRC-107 data is requited for the cylindrical vesse’ The pro-
cedure shows the method for calculating the stress in the shell,
‘The same procedure can be used for calculating the siress in
the nozzle.
Stress due io P. ina spherical vessel, it is Obvious that the
stresses created by the radial loed are uniform around the ex
tire attachment circumference, In a cylindrical vessel, though
the stresses differ from location to location, it can also be
regarded as uniform taking the maximum around the attach-
reat cirsumference as te uniform value, This asussptioe in
troduces some conservatism but is not overly conservative,
‘WRC-297 has already adopred this approach in developing the
‘design curves. In reference to the aztachment orientation, the
stress created by the radial load caa be written symbolicaly 2s
Membrane sess: Sym (P), Soq(P)
Bending stress: 5,,(P), Sy(P)
‘They are constant around the entire attachment ci-
cumference.
a
Siress due to Mc and M,. Steesses created by Mf and M,
are not independent os assumed by some daiigners, In a
spherical vesel the M, and Mf, can be conveatently combined
as
MgaVHOTHD @
‘The combined stress can then be calculated based on M,
rather than on Mc and M, individually. However, to haves
sommion methad appiicable ro both spherical and cylindrical
vessels, @. more general approach is preferred. Professor
Bijlaard has shown that the stress, due to bending moment,
varies according to the casine function in a spherical shell. As
showa in Fig. 3(o), when the attachment is loaded
simultaneously with Mc and. Mf, each M, aad Af, commands
a cosine shape stress distribution. With this type of cosine
distribution, it can be shown that the niaximum combined
[a2 Somericat Yesse!
(03 Cyuaeient eoens
Fig. 3 Combined stress dus to bending moments
FEBRUARY 1988. Vol. 110/107siressis
Sy6bty) = VB OHI + Sy @
‘The foregoing maximum stress located somewhere iaside the
0-50-deg segment, There is another maximmurn stress, with @
reversed sign, located within the 180-270-deg segment.
In aeylindtical vesset, the stization is complicated by the ir-
regular distribution of the stress. The siress due to Mc is
istributed in a shape close 10 a shifted cosine curve, but the
siress due co Mf, is humped coward the neutral axis. Due to
this off-axis peaking, it appears shat an absolute sum may
have to be taken to caleulate the combined maximum stress.
Nevertheless, in consiGering the fact that the stress file dhe to
‘Mo is considerably narrower than & cosine distribution, equa~
tion (2) can still be used for cylindrical shells with good
representation, In fact, this equation has been used by the pip-
ing code [3] since the 1950's.
‘Since the purpose of the calculation is to find the maximum
siress intensity, the relative signs between the radial stress and
the circumfereatial stress is important. Fortunately, this sign
reversal only oevurs at some of the circumferential mem’ “ane
forces in WRC-297, One way of maintaining the sign is to take
the $M) in equation (3) the same sign a5 that of the greater
Sp(Mc) and 5,(M;). Even with this sign-preserving arrange-
ment, the maximum membrane stress intensity calculated may
stil be smaller than the ones caleulated at the four major axis
points, However, the difference is insignificant. The stresses
calculated at the four major axis points stil] need to be
considered.
Combined Normal Stress, The combined mamum nor-
mai stress js determined by P, Mc. and M,. Since the stress
‘due zo P is uniform all around the attachment cfrcumference,
‘we can simply write
5,55 ,(P) +54 (My) (a)
SS (P)~SpMy) (ab)
Equations (4a) and (4) represent the maximum normal
‘uresses at she two maximum points located on apposite sides
of the attachment. Euch equation further represents two
stresses one at the outer, abd the other the inner surface of the
shell. These four locations are to be checked for the maximmura
sucess intensity.
‘Shear Stress due to My. The shear stress duc to torsional
moment is uniform all around the attachment circumference.
‘This stress can be expressed as SSM),
Shear Stress due to Ve and V_, The shear siress due to Vg
and ¥, can be combined by
$8() NSS oI + (SSE o
Toiat Shear Stress. "The ‘otal maxinnsn shear stess isthe
absolute sum of the shear stress du to torsion anc the shear
sicexsduc to combined shear force. That is,
S5=S8(Mp} +85(FY 6
‘This maximum shear stress generally does not occur at the
same locaton as the maximum normal stress. However, ince
she shear ses is insignificant in most of the cases, i¢ can be
conservatively considered as occurring at the same location
Where the maximum normal sess ceetrs,
Maximum Stress Intensity. ‘The stress intensity can be
caleulaied by the maximum shear stress theory using the nor-
sal sivess and shear stress calculated by equaitons (4) and (6),
respectively. The WRC bulletins have given detailed formulas
for this cafeulaticon. A to:at of four stress intensities repre-
senting the maximum and minimum stress points and both
oucside and itsidé surfaces should be calculated. The miax-
imum valueis then used for the design. To satisfy certain Code
198 Vol. 110, FEBRUARY 1988
{] requirements, the maximum membrane stress intensity and
the total stress intensity may also need to be separated.
‘Conclusions
Regardless of the warning given by the WRC Bulletin 107
that there is no assurance thatthe absolute maximum sicessia-
tensity in the shell will be located at one of the eighe points
(four major axis points each having outside and inside sur-
aces) considered in the example calculations, many designers,
stilfuse only the stresses calenlated thece for design. ‘This prac-
ties creates inconsistencies in designs and may introduce as
much a5 a 40-percent nonconservatism. The present article
cutlined the procedures for caleulatiog the maximum stress ine
tensites both at and off the major axis points. This maximum
stress intensity should be used in the design evaluations
References
| Wichmas, K. R, Hooper, A. G., and Merton J
Sonsial wed Cyintteal Shel Due to Emeenal Leading,
40%, Aug, 1965, reviyat Mar. 1979,
2' Merson, J. 1, Mothurias, K., Raman, G. V., and Rocabovgas B.C,
Local Sues i Chilieal Sheus Due wo” Enceral Loacings on
Nain Sepnenent 0 WRC Boia, 1h" WRC Buln Ade
ANSI Code for PresuePipig,ANSU/ASME B3L.3 Chemical Plt and
Pevoleum Refinery Piping, ASME, New York, 1584
“TASME Daler and Presure Vee! Code,
Div. 3 akerasive Rules, ASME, New York, 183.
‘acl Sarees in
RE Bulan Ne.
tt, Pressure Vests,
DISCUSSION
BR. Natarajan
‘At the outset, I would like to congratulate the author for
bringing owt certain important points which a designer
sometimes forgets while using design chars. However, there
are some points which are worth mentioning about this paper:
1 While discussing the inconsistency about the location of
the maximum stress ia a nozzle-spherical sheet intersection, it
is expected that the designer will define the geometry and the
loading using the same coordinate system. The location of the
‘maximum stress, and hence the inconsistency in defining the
maximum stress lovation, is due to the misunderstanding by
the designer and not dus to the examples given in WRC-107 or
WRC297.
2 While calculating the combined stress due to bending
moments, mention should be made that the flexibility of the
nozzle has not been completely considered. Further, the boun-
dary coaditions at the nozzle and cylinder ends also affect the
value and location of these maximum values.
K, Mokbtarian?
T have the following general comments to make on Peng's
Paper:
1 We have found that generally the maximum stress due to
longitudinal moment occurs at the O-deg azimuth. We do
‘not agree with the shape of the viress curve due to M, im Fig.
316).
2 The last three sentences of the fast paragraph in the
subsection ‘Stresses due ta Mc and Mf," are not clear and ap-
ear to contain conflicting statements, .
3 Normally, the designer has to face the question of com-
Dining the stresses due to presture with these due to
“Fbankato Sint Uoiversiy, Mechanical Engineering Deparment
CBE Ne-Con, in.. Oak rook Engineering
Transactions of the ASMEinéchanical loads. 1 do oot know of any simple way of pro-
Vicing those guidefines now, but eventually this question will
Save to be adaressea
ZF. Saag!
‘AS stated in the paper’by L. C. Peng, WRC-107 and
WRC.297 published by PYRC are excellent references for
calculating fecal stresces in nozzles and attachments, indeed,
they are widely used im the design of pressure vessels and have
become incispensable tools.
‘The author summarizes inconsistencies occurring in some
Gesigns due to the designers misepolying the data presented in
the aforementioned two documents. He also presents a
‘method and procedure for calculating the maximum stress 3
tensity. This is of importance and needs to be understood by
Cesigners. It should prove to be an aid in applying the two
documents correctly.
{asm in agreement with Dr. Peng’s opiaion about the incon
sistency end nonconservation, which will be created in the
desigr procedure if a designer caunot determine the maximum
-suress intensity. [n the paper, the formula which is developed
for caiculating intensity seems to hold only for round radial
nozzles and attachments on spherical shells. Only in this case
are the stresses due to radial load P and torsioaal moment My
uniform. For other shapes, particularly in the case of a ree-
tangular attachment on a cylinder, the szesses are not uniform
long the perimeter of the attactment.
In the section “Location of Maximum Stress" the author
states that “the calculations involve only the secondary
scess.” From a stress classification point of view stresses due
to external foad on an attachment include not oniy secondary
siresses, but also primary ones. This is important, because
there ure different allowable stresses associated with different
stress careyories.
“TJeieruty of tlesi ar Chiago, Mechanisat Eaginceing Departnear
Whe above and dhe pressara
Unconporeed 0s
‘Wish reference to the calculation of Ue maxitaum stress in-
tensity, it is noted chat the maximum shear stress generally
rot located at the same poist where the maximua normal
stress occurs, But the author assumes that they do cceur at the
same iocations, Is this a conservative assumption?
AUTHOR'S CLOSURE
In thanking Messrs. R. Natarajan, K. Moktuarian, and
Z. F. Sang for the valuable discussions, the author would ike
ro make a brief closure.
This paper's main concern is the misapplication of the
bulletins, not the validity of the bulletins which are excellent
works. The nozzle flexibility and the vessel end condition,
just as other geometsical parameters, have definite effects on
the stress shape. The main point is If the interaction exists be-
‘owen the Lwo moment components,
‘The off-axis peak stress due to M, may not exist on sail
AD vessels, bur it does exist on other vessels, as demonstrated
by Prof. Steel, and various pipe brauch tests. There is indeed
some confusion in the last threr sentences concerning the
stresses due to Mg and M,. Because of the combination
method proposed, the stress loves the orientation after tne
calculation. With’ the proposed sign tracking method, the
maximum calculated membrane stress Intensity may be occa-
sionally smatier than the siress calculated at the four major
corners. One way to correct the problem is to reverse one of
the stress signs when the situation is detected. The author
‘agrees that there is no simple way to combine the pressure and.
the mechanical load effects. Publication of some of the NRC
upproved methods, for instance, should be encouraged.
‘The secondary stress mentioned by Dr. Sang should have
‘been more accurately stated as locsl stress. The inclusion of
higher shear stress is always conservative in the calculation of
the stress intensity when it is taken as twice the maximum
shear stress.
meubvane Strestes have beer
Simelex and LOcAls aud hocale,