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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6.

Flexibility Analysis

ASME B31.3 Process Piping

Charles Becht IV, PhD, PE


Don Frikken, PE
Instructors

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Piping Development Process


1. Establish applicable system standard(s)
2. Establish design conditions
3. Make overall piping material decisions
ƒ Pressure Class
ƒ Reliability
ƒ Materials of construction
4. Fine tune piping material decisions
ƒ Materials
ƒ Determine wall thicknesses
ƒ Valves
5. Establish preliminary piping system layout & support
configuration
6. Perform flexibility analysis
7. Finalize layout and bill of materials
8. Fabricate and install
9. Examine and test
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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

6. Flexibility Analysis
¾ What are we trying to achieve?
¾ Sustained loads
ƒ Cause primary stresses
ƒ Failure modes
ƒ Design criteria
¾ Displacement Loads
ƒ Cause secondary stresses
ƒ Failure modes
ƒ Design criteria
¾ Reaction design criteria
¾ Flexibility Analysis Example

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The Material in This Section is


Addressed by B31.3 in:
Chapter II - Design

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

What are we trying to achieve?


1. Provide adequate support;

2. Provide sufficient flexibility; and

3. Prevent the piping from exerting


excessive reactions

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What are we trying to achieve?


1. Provide adequate support to resist loads
such as pressure, weight, earthquake
and wind

January 17 1994 Northridge Earthquake


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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

What are we trying to achieve?


2. Provide sufficient flexibility to safely
accommodate changes in length resulting
from temperature variations

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What are we trying to achieve?


3. Provide sufficient support and flexibility to
prevent the piping from exerting
excessive reactions on equipment and
restraints

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

What are we trying to achieve?


And we do that in order to
ƒ make the piping look well supported to the
facility engineers and operators
ƒ prevent collapse of the piping
ƒ prevent leaks due to fatigue cracks
ƒ prevent joint leakage caused by excessive
forces , and
ƒ prevent failure or malfunction of attached
equipment caused by excessive reactions

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Sustained Loads
¾ Imposed mechanical loads that are essentially
unchanged by the displacement that the loads
produce and cause primary stresses
¾ Governed by equilibrium – load controlled
¾ Examples:
ƒ Circumferential stresses (pressure)
ƒ Longitudinal stresses (pressure)
(weight)
(earthquake)
(wind)

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Sustained Loads - Weight

Deformation

Load

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Sustained Loads
σ1

Load controlled (primary)


Stress (load)

Strain (deformation)
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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Sustained Design Criteria


The sum of the longitudinal stresses due to
pressure, weight, and other sustained loadings, SL,
must not exceed the hot allowable stress, Sh, times
the weld joint strength reduction factor, W.
SL ≤ ShW

In the absence of more applicable data, W shall be


ƒ 1.00 for all materials 950ºF (510ºC) and below
ƒ 0.50 for all materials at 1500ºF (815ºC)
ƒ Linearly interpolated for intermediate temperatures

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Sustained Design Criteria


For Occasional loads such as wind and
earthquake
1. The sum of the longitudinal stresses due to
pressure, weight, other sustained loadings, and
stresses produced by occasional loads, SL,
must not exceed the hot allowable stress, 1.33
times Sh.
SL ≤ 1.33 Sh (Ec)
1.33 times Sh cannot exceed the yield strength of the
material at temperature

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Sustained Design Criteria


2. For temperatures above 800ºF (427ºC), the
sum of the longitudinal stresses due to
pressure, weight, other sustained loadings, and
stresses produced by occasional loads, SL,
must not exceed 90% of the yield strength at
temperature times a strength reduction factor.
SL ≤ 0.90 Syt X (Ec)
Where the strength reduction factor X = 1.0 for
austenitic stainless steels and 0.8 for other
materials
This alternative may not be used for cast irons or
other materials with non-ductile behavior.
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Displacement Loads
¾ Actions that cause one end of a pipe
segment to move relative to the other end
and actions that have an equivalent effect
¾ Deformation controlled
¾ Examples:
ƒ Thermal expansion
ƒ Tank settlement
ƒ Rising and falling of docks
¾ Peak stresses are calculated using stress
intensification factors
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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Loads

Displacement 1
Displacement 2

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Displacement Loads
σ1

Load controlled (primary)


Stress (load)

Deformation controlled (secondary)

Strain (displacement)
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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Loads
σ ≥ 2Sy

σ ≤ 2Sy

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Displacement Loads

Displacement 1
Displacement 2

Displacement 1
Displacement 2

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


¾ Acceptance criterion is based on the
stress range, usually
ƒ From the coldest condition (consider winter
shutdown ambient)
ƒ To the hottest condition (consider excursion
operation)
¾ The Code allowable stress range is based
on the twice yield stress criterion:
Stress Range ≤ 2 Syt

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Displacement Design Criteria


¾ It is anticipated that the piping will yield
during its initial cycles of operation
¾ The allowable stress range is established
in consideration of shake down to elastic
cycling

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
Where:
SA = allowable displacement stress range
f = stress range factor
Sc = basic allowable stress at minimum
temperature
Sh = basic allowable stress at maximum
temperature
SL = longitudinal stress

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Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
¾ In the case where Sc and Sh equal 2/3 Syt,
the quantity 1.25(Sc+Sh) will be equal to
1.67 Syt (≤ 2 Syt)
¾ In the case where Sc equals 2/3 Syt and
Sh equals 90% Syt, the quantity
1.25(Sc+Sh) will be equal to 1.96 Syt (≤ 2
Syt)

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
¾ In order to account for the range of
temperatures, the average of values at
the cold temperature and the hot
temperature are used

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Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
In order to assure that the stresses caused by
sustained loads are not additive to the
displacement stresses in such a way that
ratcheting would occur, SL is subtracted from
the allowable

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
Different approaches are used
ƒ SL is subtracted at each point in the system
ƒ The maximum SL for the system is subtracted
ƒ The allowable SL is subtracted

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Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
When the allowable SL is subtracted, the
equation becomes

SA = f (1.25Sc+ 0.25Sh)
This is sometimes called the “conservative”
allowable stress range.

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
¾ The stress range factor is introduced in
order to account for fatigue
f = 6.0 N-0.2 ≤ fm
¾ Where
N = equivalent number of full displacement
cycles
fm = 1.2 for ferrous materials with ST ≤ 75 ksi
(517 MPa) and T ≤ 700ºF (371ºC),
otherwise 1.0
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Displacement Design Criteria


1,000,000
Markl Fatigue Curve for
Buttwelded Steel Pipe.
Average
100,000
Stress Range

Fatigue
Failure
Design
Fatigue
10,000 Curve
Based on SA = 40,000 f Limited to
1.0

f Limited to
1,000 1.2
1 100 10000 1000000 10000000
Number of Cycles 0

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


SA = f [1.25(Sc+Sh) - SL]
f = 6.0 N-0.2 ≤ fm
¾ When f > 1.0, Sc and Sh shall be limited to
20 ksi (138 MPa)
¾ The minimum value for f is 0.15, for which
the pipe is considered suitable for an
unlimited number of cycles.

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Displacement Design Criteria

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Design Criteria


f = 6.0 N-0.2 ≤ fm
N = NE + Σ ri5Ni
Where
NE = Number of cycles for maximum displacement
Ni = Number of cycles for reduced displacement
ri = Ratio of stress range for reduced
displacement to stress range for maximum
displacement

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Displacement Design Criteria


N = NE + Σ ri5Ni
For NE = 1000 cycles at 30,000 psi stress range with
reduced displacement stress range cases as
follows.
Reduced No. of Stress
Case Cycles Range ri ri5Ni
1 7000 10,000 0.33 27
2 20000 6,000 0.20 6

N = 1000 + 27 + 6 = 1033.

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Allowable Stress Range Workshop


What is SA for the styrene monomer piping
material specification described on page
50 of the supplement?

Assume the line is expected to be steam


cleaned with 50 psi (3.5 bar) steam
superheated to 735ºF (390ºC) 4 to 6 times
each year.

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Reaction Design Criteria


The Code does not have any design criteria
for reactions. Most people use the following:
ƒ For equipment, most manufacturers will provide
allowable reactions
ƒ For supports, anchors and other restraints,
agreement on acceptable reactions is with the
structural designer
ƒ For flanged and other mechanical joints,
acceptable forces are determined by
calculation or consultation with the
manufacturer

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Design Criteria Summary


¾ Sustained – maximum stress is 67 to 90%
of the yield stress
¾ Displacement – maximum stress range is
just under twice the yield stress
¾ Reactions – limited to whatever the
manufacturer or other authority says

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Flexibility Analysis Example


A two step analysis is shown.
1. Sustained load analysis – verify
proper support and check reactions

2. Displacement load analysis – verify


adequate flexibility and check
reactions

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Proposed System
NPS 4 (DN 100)
Carbon Steel
Ambient to 600°F (315°C)
SG contents = 1.0

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Sustained Load Analysis

Check Deflections

Deflected 0.4” (10 mm) Marginal:


> 0.3” (8 mm)
Normal
Maximum

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Sustained Load Analysis

Check Reactions 60% = 5%


1020#
(4500 N)

Reactions
Poorly
Distributed
5% 30%
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Sustained Load Analysis


Check Stresses

Max. is 66% of allowable

Stresses
OK

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Sustained Load Analysis


Revised System (Added Support)
60 to 35% 5 to 5%
Max. Displacement –
0.4 to 0.1” (10 to 2 mm)

Max. Stress –
66% to 34% of allowable
Displacements
Stresses &
Reactions
All OK
5 to 10% 30 to 20% 0 to 30%

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Displacement Load Analysis


0.4” (10 mm)

Deflections
Check Deflections OK

0.9” (23 mm)

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Load Analysis


Check Reactions
40% 5%

Reactions
High, Poorly
Distributed
0% 10% 45% =
1240# (5520 N)
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Displacement Load Analysis


Check Stresses

Max. is 79% of allowable Stresses


OK

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Displacement Load Analysis


Revised System (Added Spring
Support)
40 to 0% 5 to 5%
Max. Displacement –
100% =
0.9 to 1.5” (23 to 38 mm) 1240# (5520 N)

Max. Stress –
79% to 48% of allowable Displacements
Stresses &
Reactions
All OK
0 to 0% 10 to 0% 45 to 5%

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Flexibility Analysis
Is the process of calculating the strains, and
resultant stresses and forces in a piping
system to determine if the system
¾ has adequate support
¾ has sufficient flexibility to safely
accommodate changes in length
resulting from temperature variations
¾ exerts sufficiently low reaction forces at
restraints and equipment

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ASME B31.3 Process Piping Course 6. Flexibility Analysis

Flexibility Analysis
¾ The calculation tools we used have improved
considerably over the last 40 years.
¾ The calculation is still an approximation.
ƒ Material properties, and the way they are treated in
calculations are approximations.
ƒ No piping is the perfect circular cylinder shape with
uniform wall thickness we assume in the calculations
ƒ Restraints are seldom modeled with their actual
flexibilities
ƒ Loads used in the calculations (pressure, temperature,
wind, earthquake) are approximations
¾ It is important that the designer understand what
assumptions are conservative, which ones are
liberal, and about how much each assumption
affects the outcome.
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