Test on 24/2/2016

Student:______________________________________________________ Id. Number:______________

Please note that: correct solution of exercise 1 is mandatory to pass the exam.

Exercise 1
A pipeline is connected to a storage tank. The tank manufacturer is providing the maximum force the pipe can
exert on the tank walls without damaging it. The pipe is travelling underground starting at a short distance from
the tank, as in the picture. Assume the pipeline is fully anchored at the tank wall and at the ground, as in the
scheme on the right, and is subjected to the depicted thermal load; Assume EI = 3,5*EA* L2; ∆T*α = 3*10-3.
Neglecting the shear deformability, and denoting as EI the cross sectional bending stiffness, as EA the axial
stiffness, as α the coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipe material, you should:
– compute the reaction forces at the tank wall (point A).
– sketch the internal forces diagrams (N, T, M) for the legs AB and BC.
(c)

a)

b)

Exercise 2
Starting from the solution of Exercise 1, evaluate the normal (σ) and tangential stresses (τ) at the support
section A at the two points a) and b) shown. The geometry of the pipeline cross section is depicted in Figure
1(c). Assume the following data:
• L=3 m;
• +∆T = 300°;
• α = 1*10-5 mm/(mm C°)
• E=200 GPa;
• Outer diameter and thickness of the cross section: D=300 mm and t=5 mm.
Then, check the safety of the material at points a) and b) of the cross section (see Figure 1(c)) according to
the Von Mises yield criterion (σVM = σ 2 + 3τ 2 ). Assume a yielding stress fy=300 MPa.

Exercise 3
Show how the Pinciple of Virtual Forces can be applied to compute a displacement component of a statically
determinate structure: Equation of Muller-Breslau.