Doc. No.

: 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 48 of 62

APPENDIX 1
(EQUIPMENT MODELING PROCEDURE)
 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 49 of 62

A1.1 INTRODUCTION

For equipment like compressors, vessels, pumps, turbo-generators etc., with their centre of

gravity located much higher than the beams on which they are supported, it is necessary to

model the equipment with a simplified model in order to properly take into account the

horizontal loads at the equipment COG and thereby the correct forces on to the supporting

beams in the computer analysis for the conditions like natural frequency calculations,

transportation and earthquake.

The following sections describe the procedure and provide the guidelines for modelling of the

equipment and buildings for technical rooms. Dummy member sizes indicated are derived to

ensure suitable load transfer to the equipment support beams.

A1.2 EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MODELLING

A1.2.1 SKID EQUIPMENT AND TANKS

CASE-1: SKID PARALLEL TO SUPPORT BEAMS

: Release of moment X Y Z
COG 20"x0.750"
Support beams COG

h
h
8"x0.500"

L
B L'(*)
B
Vendor Equipment Modeled Equipment

(*) : L' is choosen in order to maintain an equivalent bending moment in support beams.
For tank : L' = L (the support beam is generally more flexible than the tank.)

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm
 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 50 of 62

Skid equipment shall be modelled as a 4-legged frame with moments released at each end as

shown. In case the skid is supported on base plates, the number of legs shall be equal to

number of base plate locations.

CASE-2: SKID CROSSING THE SUPPORT BEAMS

: Release of moment X Y Z
COG 20"x0.750"
Support beams COG

h
h 8"x0.500"

Vendor Equipment Modeled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm

Skid equipment shall be modelled as a N-legged frame, depending upon the number of support

structure beams crossing the skid and their proximity to the edge of the skid with moments

released at each end as shown.

A4.2.2 THREE POINT SUPPORT SKIDS

Three point support skids like turbo generator, compressors or heavy pumps shall be modelled

as skid equipment with only three legs and provide appropriate shear release according to the

supporting arrangement recommended by the vendor.

 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 51 of 62

P2
20"x0.750" : Release of moment X Y Z
P1
P3
COG=h
8"x0.500"

Support beams

L B

Modeled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm

It is to be noted that for equipment with 3-point supports the reactions (P1, P2 and P3) at each

leg are normally provided by the vendor.

During the initial phases of engineering the reactions at each leg may not be available from the

vendor. The modelling can be done as follows:

: Release of moment X Y Z
20"x0.750"
Support beams COG

h 8"x0.500"

L B

Modeled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm
 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 52 of 62

It is to be noted further that equipment like compressors may be transported at support

locations other than the one used for the in-service conditions. The equipment should be

modelled accordingly for such conditions.

A4.2.3 HORIZONTAL VESSELS, SHELL & TUBE HEAT EXCHANGERS

CASE-1: SADDLE RESTING DIRECTLY ON SUPPORTING BEAM

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

Horizontal vessel shall be modelled as a frame shown above with rigid members and
moments released as shown. Forces in the sliding direction shall be released.
For stacked horizontal vessels, the model shall be adopted with a global cog location.
 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 53 of 62

CASE-2: SADDLE RESTING ON SUPPORT FRAME

: Release of moment X Y Z
Æ, t
h Æ, t of vessel
20"x0.75"
F
h
8"x0.500" (TYP)

F Support beams L
L B B Release of force for
Support frame sliding direction

Vendor Equipment Modeled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm

The support frame along with its knee braces in transverse and longitudinal directions should be

modeled first. The vessel can then be modeled with its actual diameter and thickness, connected to

the frame with a triangle. The releases shall be as shown.

A4.2.4 VERTICAL VESSELS

Case-1: VERTICAL VESSELS ON SKIRTS

Vertical vessel shall be modelled as a single vertical member with dummy members released at

each ends for the 3 moments.

 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 54 of 62

: Release of moment X Y Z

Æ, t of vessel

Dummy members
h Æ, t 20"x0.750"

B
Support beams

B
B
Vendor Equipment Modelled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

Slender vertical vessel should be guided horizontally at one or more levels as shown below:

: Release of moment X Y Z

Guide level B

Release of force X
and vertical shear
at guide levels

Æ, t of vessel
Æ, t

h
Guide level A

Dummy member
(Typ.)
h
20"x0.750"
B
Support beams
(*)
B
B
Vendor Equipment Modeled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 55 of 62

CASE-2: VERTICAL VESSELS ON LEGS

The vessel shall be modeled supported on legs through dummy members. Lower end of the legs is

to be released for moments.

: Release of moment X Y Z

Æ, t of vessel

Dummy members
Æ, t 20"x0.750"
h
8"x0.500"

B Support beams

B
B

Vendor Equipment Modelled Equipment

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

8”x0.5” = 219.1mm x 12.7mm

A4.2.5 BUILDINGS

Buildings shall be modelled with the following considerations:

· Building with structural wall (Modular building with its peripheral floor beam

continuously supported on support structure):

The building module shall be treated like the skid equipment and modelled accordingly.

· Building without structural wall (Building integrated with Deck):

X support points should be considered on the building circumference (building columns

location). The skid that represents building shall be declared as a dummy sub-structure in

order to keep the same reaction distribution irrespective of support structure deformation.
 Doc. No. : 140900-S-CS-201
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Rev. No. : D
BASIS FOR REGAS
Date : 27DEC16
PLATFORM TOPSIDES
Bahrain LNGIT Project Page : 56 of 62

If the cog of the building is not known, the building may be modelled with their actual

framing and loading

: Release of moment X Y Z

Support beams
Dummy
h sub-structure.
h All members
20"x0.750"

L L
B
B
Building without structural wall Modeled building

20”x0.75” = 508mm x 20mm

A4.3 OTHER MODELLING CONSIDERATIONS

a) Smaller equipment weighing less than 5 tons in dry conditions, need not be modelled

in SACS. The load can be directly put on the nearby supporting beams.

b) Density of the members representing the equipment modelling should be declared to a

very small value (say 0.0001)

c) Modelled equipment should be skipped from reporting in the global analysis by

specifying skip option as ‘9’ in the member property or member card in SACS.

For the local design of the supporting beams, saddle supports etc., the localised model of the

deck along with equipment model can be extracted locally from the global model and the beams

designed for various loading conditions. The local model so extracted may need refinements to

represent actual member properties, offsets and eccentricities etc.