Basic Load Cases used for Piping Stress Analysis

Following steps shall be carried for Piping Stress Analysis of any system,

1. Identify the Critical lines from the P&ID based on the criteria mentioned in the Piping Stress
Analysis Design Basis.
2. Prepare a Stress Critical Line list
3. Categorize the lines as Category-1 (Extensive computer analysis required), Category-2 (Visual
Analysis or by Nomo graphs, etc.) and Category-3 (Non-critical lines)
4. Segregate the Category-1 lines and identify Stress systems. Segregation should be made in
such a way that proper boundary conditions can be defined for those lines. Also lines which
can affect the behavior of the system significantly should be selected. Depending on the
configurations Category-2 and Category-3 lines may also be included in the Piping system
5. Select a system for the analysis based on the priority or project requirement
6. List down the lines to be included in the system
7. Check if all the parameters of the lines are available,

 Maximum Design Temperature & Pressure

 Operating Temperature & Pressure

 Minimum Design Temperature & Pressure

 Test Pressure

8. Check if any Occasional loading is applicable for the selected system,

1. Wind Loading
2. Seismic Loading
3. PSV reaction forces
9. Note down environmental Data of the project,

1. Ambient Temperature
10. Once the modeling of the system is done in the Caesar-II using all the above data, next
important activity is to formulate the load cases for which the system is to be analyzed
11. List down all the possible conditions the selected system may experience.
12. Load Cases for a piping system is given below,

CASE: 1 Basic parameters and no occasional loading

Following parameters will be used for formulating the load cases,

WW = Water filled weight

HP = Hydro test Pressure

W = Dead weight of the Piping system

P1 = Maximum Design Pressure

P2 = Operating Pressure
P3 = Minimum Design Pressure

T1 = Maximum Design Temperature

T2 = Operating Temperature

T3 = Minimum Design Temperature

Case No. Load Case Stress Type

L1 WW+HP HYDRO

L2 W+T1+P1 OPE

L3 W+T2+P2 (P1 can be used in this case) OPE

L4 W+T3+P3 (P1 can be used in this case) OPE

L5 W+P1 SUS

L6 L2-L5 EXP

L7 L3-L5 EXP

L8 L4-L5 EXP

L9 L2-L4 EXP

CASE: 2 Basic Parameters with Wind loading

Following parameters will be used for formulating the load cases,

WW = Water filled weight

HP = Hydro test Pressure

W = Dead weight of the Piping system

P1 = Maximum Design Pressure

P2 = Operating Pressure

P3 = Minimum Design Pressure

T1 = Maximum Design Temperature

T2 = Operating Temperature

T3 = Minimum Design Temperature

WIN1 = Wind Load in +X direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN2 = Wind Load in –X direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN3 = Wind Load in +Z direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN4 = Wind Load in –Z direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

Case
Load Case Stress Type Combination Type
No.

L1 WW+HP HYDRO Algebraic

L2 W+T1+P1 OPE Algebraic

W+T2+P2 (P1 can be used in this

L3 OPE Algebraic
case)

W+T3+P3 (P1 can be used in this

L4 OPE Algebraic
case)

L5 W+P1 SUS Algebraic

L6 W+T1+P1+WIN1 OPE Algebraic

L7 W+T1+P1+WIN2 OPE Algebraic

L8 W+T1+P1+WIN3 OPE Algebraic

L9 W+T1+P1+WIN4 OPE Algebraic

L10 L6-L2 OCC Algebraic

L11 L7-L2 OCC Algebraic

L12 L8-L2 OCC Algebraic

L13 L9-L2 OCC Algebraic

L14 L5+L10 OCC Scalar

L15 L5+L11 OCC Scalar

L16 L5+L12 OCC Scalar

L17 L5+L13 OCC Scalar

L18 L2-L5 EXP Algebraic

L19 L3-L5 EXP Algebraic

L20 L4-L5 EXP Algebraic

L21 L2-L4 EXP Algebraic

CASE: 3 Basic Parameters with Seismic loading

Following parameters will be used for formulating the load cases,

WW = Water filled weight

HP = Hydro test Pressure

W = Dead weight of the Piping system

P1 = Maximum Design Pressure

P2 = Operating Pressure

P3 = Minimum Design Pressure

T1 = Maximum Design Temperature

T2 = Operating Temperature

T3 = Minimum Design Temperature

U1 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in North-South

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease)

U2 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in East-West

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease)

U3 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in Vertical

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease).

Generally vertical load due to seismic is negligible and not included in the Load case formation.
Case
Load Case Stress Type Combination Type
No.

L1 WW+HP HYDRO Algebraic

L2 W+T1+P1 OPE Algebraic

W+T2+P2 (P1 can be used in this

L3 OPE Algebraic
case)

W+T3+P3 (P1 can be used in this

L4 OPE Algebraic
case)

L5 W+P1 SUS Algebraic

L6 W+T1+P1+U1 OPE Algebraic

L7 W+T1+P1-U1 OPE Algebraic

L8 W+T1+P1+U2 OPE Algebraic

L9 W+T1+P1-U2 OPE Algebraic

L10 L6-L2 OCC Algebraic

L11 L7-L2 OCC Algebraic

L12 L8-L2 OCC Algebraic

L13 L9-L2 OCC Algebraic

L14 L5+L10 OCC Scalar

L15 L5+L11 OCC Scalar

L16 L5+L12 OCC Scalar

L17 L5+L13 OCC Scalar

L18 L2-L5 EXP Algebraic

L19 L3-L5 EXP Algebraic

L20 L4-L5 EXP Algebraic

L21 L2-L4 EXP Algebraic

CASE: 4 Basic Parameters with Wind &Seismic loading

Following parameters will be used for formulating the load cases,

WW = Water filled weight

HP = Hydro test Pressure

W = Dead weight of the Piping system

P1 = Maximum Design Pressure

P2 = Operating Pressure

P3 = Minimum Design Pressure

T1 = Maximum Design Temperature

T2 = Operating Temperature

T3 = Minimum Design Temperature

WIN1 = Wind Load in +X direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN2 = Wind Load in –X direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN3 = Wind Load in +Z direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

WIN4 = Wind Load in –Z direction (direction is just for example user can use this

terminology for any other direction as per his ease)

U1 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in North-South

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease)

U2 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in East-West

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease)

U3 = Seismic loads also known as Uniform loads in terms of ‘g’ in Vertical

Direction (direction is just for example user can use this terminology for any other direction as per his
ease).

Generally vertical load due to seismic is negligible and not included in the Load case formation.
Case
Load Case Stress Type Combination Type
No.

L1 WW+HP HYDRO Algebraic

L2 W+T1+P1 OPE Algebraic

W+T2+P2 (P1 can be used in this

L3 OPE Algebraic
case)

W+T3+P3 (P1 can be used in this

L4 OPE Algebraic
case)

L5 W+P1 SUS Algebraic

L6 W+T1+P1+WIN1 OPE Algebraic

L7 W+T1+P1+WIN2 OPE Algebraic

L8 W+T1+P1+WIN3 OPE Algebraic

L9 W+T1+P1+WIN4 OPE Algebraic

L10 W+T1+P1+U1 OPE Algebraic

L11 W+T1+P1-U1 OPE Algebraic

L12 W+T1+P1+U2 OPE Algebraic

L13 W+T1+P1-U2 OPE Algebraic

L14 L6-L2 OCC Algebraic

L15 L7-L2 OCC Algebraic

L16 L8-L2 OCC Algebraic

L17 L9-L2 OCC Algebraic

L18 L10-L2 OCC Algebraic

L19 L11-L2 OCC Algebraic

L20 L12-L2 OCC Algebraic

L21 L13-L2 OCC Algebraic

L22 L5+L14 OCC Scalar

L23 L5+L15 OCC Scalar

L24 L5+L16 OCC Scalar

L25 L5+L17 OCC Scalar

L26 L5+L18 OCC Scalar

L27 L5+L19 OCC Scalar

L28 L5+L20 OCC Scalar

L29 L5+L21 OCC Scalar

L30 L2-L5 EXP Algebraic

L31 L3-L5 EXP Algebraic

L32 L4-L5 EXP Algebraic

L33 L2-L4 EXP Algebraic