International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Automobile Engineering (ICMPAE'2011) Pattaya Dec.

2011

Stiffness of Pipe Elbow

Thiagarajan.N, Dhananjay.R, and Shakti Prasad

The thermal expansion of pipeline is allowed to happen as if

Abstract—Pipelines expand and contract based on the operating
temperature conditions. Unlike structures like railway lines pipeline
cannot be cut and expansion joint be installed directly to take care of
expansion or contraction. Pipelines carry liquids under pressure and
the provision of loose joint to the system removes the ability of the
pipeline to hold the liquid under pressure. It tends to open up near the
expansion joint. To avoid the pipeline from opening, the pipe has to
be held together using end thrust blocks. Thus introduction of
expansion joint is associated with the requirement of thrust supports
at the pipeline ends. The cost of the end thrust block is dependent on
the pressure in the pipeline and also the diameter of pipe. It is always
not necessary to use expansion joints to absorb the temperature based
expansions. The pipeline itself has inherent flexibility to
accommodate thermal expansions and the flexibility of the system is
dependent on the piping layout. If the stress created due to the
thermal deformation is within the allowable limits the piping system
can operate without the use of expansion joint. The advantage of use
of the inherent flexibility is that heavy thrust supports are avoided
and the integrity of the structure is not lost as there is no loose joint
or cut in the piping element. It is the pipe elbow which gives
sufficient flexibility to the piping system to expand and contract
based on the temperature conditions. Finite Element Method can be
used to analyze the deformation, stress in pipe and the support
reactions. Stiffness matrix for the entire system has to be computed to
analyze the stresses and deformation. This paper primarily deals with
the derivation of the stiffness matrix for a pipe elbow from first
principles using castigliano’s energy theorems. As a part of
verification finite element software is used to model and analyze a
curved beam created by a finite number of straight beam elements.
The solution of the curved beam element is found to be closely
matching with the software result.
Keywords—Stress Analysis, FEM, Flexibility of Piping system,
Energy Methods
I. INTRODUCTION
P iping systems transporting fluids experience various
temperatures during operation depending on the fluid
temperature. The temperature of fluids creates expansion or
contraction in the piping frame work and the supports which
act as restraints to pipeline movement create proportional
stress in the pipeline. The stress in the pipe becomes zero
when the restraints are removed. Finite element method can be
used for analyzing the stress, deformation and loads on the
piping system.
there is no constraint to expansion. Every element of the
piping frame expands linearly along its axis and as a whole the
entire frame work is scaled to the dimensions proportional to
the temperature difference. Then the nodes in the pipeline
where the supports are present are given a displacement such
that they are held by the supports. Thus the thermal problem
can be converted to an equivalent displacement problem.
Known displacements are given to certain points (where they
are supported) and the stress in the system, displaced shape
and the support reactions are found out by finite element
method. The stiffness of the piping system is contributed
mainly by the pipe spool and the pipe bends. Valves can be
considered as lumped masses for the analysis when the
pipeline stretch is considerable compared to the valve length.
While the stiffness matrix for a beam element is widely
available in the text book, the stiffness matrix for pipe elbows
is not. In this paper the stiffness matrix of the pipe elbow is
obtained from the first principles using the castiglianos
theorem. First section deals with the finite element
formulation and the second section deals with the verification
of the results using software.
II. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF PIPE ELBOW
A pipe bend is considered as a beam and the flexural energy
is computed in terms of the moment at any arbitrary section.
Then applying Castigliano’s theorem the relationship between
the applied forces and the nodal displacements are found out.
Two cases are developed in this paper to obtain the stiffness
matrix of the pipe elbow. In case-1 node 2 is fixed and node 1
is free. Forces are applied on node1 and the displacements of
the free end are found as a function of the applied loads.
Similar analysis is carried out by fixing node 1 and applying
loads at node2. Principle of superposition is used to find the
global stiffness matrix.
A. Case-1: Node 2 Fixed and Node 1 Free

Thiagarajan.N is with the Engineering Design and Research Center, Larsen

and Toubro ECC Division, Chennai-89. (Phone: 7598480775; e-mail:
thiagarajan@lntecc.com).
Dhananjay.R is with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita
University, Kollam, India. (Phone: 08129708827 e-mail:
dhananjayr@am,amrita.edu).
Fig. 1 Node 2 Fixed and Node 1 Free
ShaktiPrasadis a PG student with Amrita University, (08907284043 e-
mail: shakti_prasad1228@yahoo.com).

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 International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Automobile Engineering (ICMPAE'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

M z (θ ) = F y1 R(1 − cos(90 − θ )) − Fx1 R sin(90 − θ ) − M z1 Another case will be developed where the node 1 is fixed and
forces are applied on node2.
π /2
M 2 (θ )
U= ∫ 2 EI
Rdθ
B. Case-2: Node 1 Fixed and Node 2 Free
0 (1 -5)
π /2
∂U M (θ )  ∂M 
u1 =
∂Fx1
= ∫   Rdθ
EI  ∂Fx1 
In this analysis the node 1 is fixed and the node 2 is subjected
0 to the forces and the moments as shown.
∂U
π /2
M (θ )  ∂M 
v1 =
∂F y1
= ∫
0
EI  ∂F y1 
Rdθ

π /2
∂U M (θ )  ∂M 
θ1 =
∂M z1
= ∫
0
  Rdθ
EI  ∂M z1 
If the relation between the vectors is written in the matrix
form, we have
 
 u1   0 . 7854 − 0 . 5 1   F 
  R3  
x1

 v1  =  − 0.5 0.3562 − 0.5708 Fy1 


EI   Fig. 2 Node 1 Fixed and Node 2 Free
θ R   1 − 0.5708 1.5708   M z1 
 1  M z (θ ) = Fx 2 ( R − R cos θ ) − Fy 2 R sin θ − M z 2
 R 
M 2 (θ )
π /2
The inverse of the coefficient matrix gives the partial stiffness
matrix relating the forces and the displacements at node-1.
U= ∫
0
2 EI
Rdθ

  ∂U
π /2
M (θ )  ∂M 
 F   42.8750 39.3711 − 12.9884  u1 
 x1
 EI   
u2 =
∂Fx 2
= ∫   Rdθ
EI  ∂Fx 2 
 Fy1  = 3  39.3711 42.8750 − 9.4845   v1 
0

M (θ )  ∂M 
π /2
 M z1  R − 12.9884 − 9.4845 5.4588  θ1 R  ∂U
   v2 =
∂Fy 2
= ∫ EI  ∂Fy 2 
Rdθ
 R  0
π /2
∂U M (θ )  ∂M 
From the matrix we are able to relate the nodal displacements θ2 =
∂M z 2
= ∫
0
  Rdθ
EI  ∂M z 2 
of node 1 with the forces and moments at that node. The
support reactions can be related to the applied forces as
Fx2 = - Fx1 Applying the limits and converting to matrix form,
Fy2 = -Fy1  
Mz2 = - Fx1R + Fy1R - Mz1  u2   0.35619 − 0.5 − 0.5708  Fx 2 
EI   R 
3
 F 
Fx 2 = {−42.8750u1 − 39.3711v1 + 12.9884θ1 R}  v2  =  − 0.5 0.7854 1  y2 
R3 θ R  EI − 0.5708 1.5708   M z 2 
 2   1
EI  R 
Fy 2 = 3 {−39.3711u1 − 42.8750v1 + 9.4845θ1 R}
R The inverse of the coefficient matrix gives the partial stiffness
matrix relating the forces and the displacements at node-1.
M z2 M
= − Fx1 + Fy1 − z1  
R R F   42.8750 39.3711 − 9.4845   u 2 
 x2
 EI 
M z 2 EI
= 3 {9.4845u1 + 12.9884v1 − 1.9549θ1 R}  Fy 2  = 3  39.3711 42.8750 − 12.98839  v 2 
R R  M z2  R
− 9.4845 − 12.98839 5.4588  θ 2 R 
   
 F   R 
− 42.8750 − 39.3711 12.9884   u1 
 x2  EI    The support reactions can be related to the applied forces as
 Fy 2  = 3  − 39.3711 − 42.8750 9.4845   v1  Fx1 = - Fx2
 M z2  R  9.4845 12.9884 − 1.9549 θ1 R  Fy1 = -Fy2
   Mz1 = Fx2R - Fy2R - Mz2
 R 
Thus the forces in node1 and node 2 are functions of the nodal
displacements u1, v1 and Θ1.
As node2 is fixed all the forces are dependent on the
displacements of node-1.

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 International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Automobile Engineering (ICMPAE'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

EI and analyzed with the following boundary conditions.Support

Fx1 = {−42.8771u2 − 39.3718v2 + 9.4840θ 2 R} Boundary Condition: Bottom fixed
R3 Apex Node:
EI a) Rotations are arrested
Fy1 = 3 {−39.3718u2 − 42.8742v2 + 12.9875θ 2 R} b) Horizontal Force = Fy = 10000 N
R
c) Vertical Force = Fz = -10000 N
M z1 = Fx 2 R − Fy 2 R − M z 2
Number of node points = 135
M z1 M
= Fx 2 − Fy 2 − z 2 Number of elements = 136
R R Radius of the Bend = 6.0 m
M z1 EI Coordinate System: y – z Coordinate axes used. (The
= 3 {12.9893u2 + 9.485v2 − 1.9549θ 2 R} equation is developed for ‘x-y’ system of axis.)
R R
In matrix form, A. Analysis Results:
  The deformed shape of the curved beam is shown in
 F  − 42.8750 − 39.3711 9.4845   u 2  Appendix-‘B’ and Appendix-‘C’. The apex node is found to
 x1
 EI    deflect 0.176761m downward along negative z direction and
 Fy1  = 3  − 39.3711 − 42.8750 12.9884   v 2  0.176761m along positive x direction for the applied loads and
 M z1  R  12.9884 − 1.9549 θ 2 R 
   9.4845 boundary conditions.
 R  B. Manual Verification:
The bottom node is fixed and all the displacements
associated with the node are zero. Hence u1, v1, θ1 are zero.
III. PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION: The apex node which forms node 2 is restrained to rotate and
By the principle of superposition, the forces applied at node hence θ2 is zero. The horizontal displacement and the vertical
1 and node 2 in both the cases are superimposed to find a results from the software are found to be 0.176761 and -
general relationship between the forces and the nodal 0.176761 meters. By using the force displacement relation
displacements. Full Matrix is given at the end of the paper. matrix the applied loads are found to be manually 10020 N
Thus from the energy principles force – displacement and -10020 N along horizontal and vertical direction which
relationship is obtained for the pipe elbow. With this stiffness closely agrees with the applied load in ALGOR software. The
matrix the global stiffness matrix of the entire piping system small percentage of variation is due to the truncation of values
can be obtained to find out the stress, displacements and the in the stiffness matrix.
support reactions of the piping system subjected to thermal
load. V. CONCLUSION
The force displacement model obtained above is verified by
Using Castigliano’s energy method stiffness matrix for a
solving a finite element model in algor software using finite
90° pipe elbow is obtained. This matrix is essentially required
number of straight beam elements.
for analysis of piping systems where pipe elbow forms a major
role in providing flexibility to piping system.The stiffness
IV. FINITE ELEMENT MODEL OF CURVED BEAM: matrix is verified using FEA software where 136 beam
elements are used to model a pipe elbow. The deflection at the
A finite element model of a curved beam with radius 6.0 m point of application of load was found to be 0.176761 and -
is created using finite number of straight beam elements. 0.176761 meters along y and z direction using software for the
Linear isotropic static analysis module of ALGOR student
applied loads. The loads corresponding to these deflections
version software is used.
were found manually to be 10020 N and -10020 N using the
TABLE I
MATERIAL: ISOTROPIC MATERIAL WITH YOUNG’S MODULUS 200GPA,
force displacement relationship matrix derived in the paper.
The values are close to the loads applied in the FEM model.
Outside Diameter 0.2191 m The stiffness matrix of the elbow can be used along with the
Thickness of Pipe 0.0045 m other normal piping elements to determine the behavior of the
Internal Diameter 0.2101 m overall piping system under static loads.

Metal Area 0.003033836 Sq.m REFERENCES

Moment of Inertia 1.74724E-05 m^4 [1] Richard G.Budynas,“Advanced Strength and Applied Stress Analysis”,
McGraw Hill International Edition, second edition
Polar M.I (J) 3.49448E-05 m^4 [2] Daniel L.Schoder, “Structures”, Pearson Education
[3] J.N.Reddy, “ An Introduction to the FINITE ELEMENT METHOD”,
A curved beam made of finite number of straight beams is Tata McGraw Hill, second edition.
modeled in Algor Finite Element software (student version)

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 International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Automobile Engineering (ICMPAE'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

APPENDIX – ‘A’

Force Displacement Relationship for a pipe elbow

 FX 1 
 F   42.8750 39.3711 − 12.9884 − 42.8750 − 39.3711 9.4845   u1 
 Y1   39.3711
 42.8750 − 9.4845 − 39.3711 − 42.8750 12.9884   v1 
 M Z1 
 R  EI  − 12.9884 − 9.4845 5.4588 12.9884 9.4845 − 1.9549  θ1 R 
= 
 FX 2  R 3 − 42.8750 − 39.3711 12.9884  
 42.8750 39.3711 − 9.4845   u 2 
 
 FY 2   − 39.3711 − 42.8750 9.4845 39.3711 42.8750 − 12.9884  v 2 
M Z2    

 9.4845 12.9884 − 1.9549 − 9.4845 − 12.9884 5.4588  θ 2 R 
 R 

APPENDIX – ‘B’
The following figure shows displacement of the apex due to the application of the nodal forces. The color code shows the ‘z’
or the downward displacement of the beam due to the applied load. Support conditions for the model is discussed in section
IV.

Z-DISPLACEMENT

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 International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Automobile Engineering (ICMPAE'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

APPENDIX – ‘C’

The following figure shows displacement of the pipe elbow modeled as a curved beam due to the application of the nodal forces.
The color code shows the ‘y’ or the horizontal displacement of the beam due to the applied load. Support conditions for the
model are discussed in section IV.

Y-DISPLACEMENT:

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