Types of Loads Considered for Piping Stress

Analysis
Every Piping system is subjected to different loads during its design life which develops
stresses in the system. Depending on the stress design basis the system is classified as
stress critical or non- stress critical. All the stress critical system shall be stress analyzed
using software system (eg.Caesar II) to keep the stresses within the allowable limits as per
the code/standard. The types of loads to be considered in Stress Analysis shall be as given
in table:
Types of Loads:
a) Thermal Loads at Various Operating Conditions
b) Sustained Loads
c) Seismic Loads
d) Wind Loads
e) PSV Reaction Force
f) Slug Force
g) Forces Induced by Surge Pressure

a) Thermal Loads at Various Operating Conditions

Analysis Temperature and Pressure to be used shall be as mentioned below.
Analysis Temperature

Normally the Design temperature (Maximum/ Minimum values as per Line List) shall be
used for thermal analysis.
For those lines having Design temperature greater than 80 deg. C and if the difference
between Operating and Design temperature is more than 25 deg. C, the
maximum/minimum Operating temperatures, as obtained from Process Group, may be
used in Stress Analysis in place of the Design temperature.
In addition to the Maximum/Minimum Design/Operating temperatures, Piping shall also be
analyzed for the Normal Operating temperature.
Analysis Pressure

Line Design Pressure specified in the Line List shall be considered as the analysis
pressure.

b) Sustained Loads
Sustained loads to be considered are as given below:
Design pressure.
Weight of Pipe and associated components such as Flanges, Valves, Strainer,
Sight glass etc., mounted on the Piping System.
Weight of Fluid/contents in the piping.
Insulation and cladding weight.
Hydro test loads, if applicable for the line.
Snow load, if applicable.

c) Seismic Loads

For Projects where Seismic Design is to be carried out, equivalent Static Seismic Analysis
method in Caesar II shall be used to evaluate the seismic stresses, displacements and
loads on the piping system.
If the Seismic coefficient is not provide by the client, then the calculation of static seismic
co-efficient in terms of g based on Project site-specific data shall be calculated as per
relevant codes (UBC/ASCE/SNIP/others as applicable). In that case, the Seismic factor
calculation document shall be enclosed as an Attachment to the Project Stress Analysis
Design
basis
document
The normal Operating Temperature shall be used when analyzing for Occasional loads.
Seismic loads shall be considered as acting along the horizontal axes (both in +ve and in
the ve directions, that is, along North, South, East and West directions), but not acting
simultaneously.

d) Wind Loads
Wind loads shall be considered for lines with outside diameter 14 NB (including insulation)
& above and at Elevation 10 meters & above from ground level. The normal Operating
Temperature shall be used when analyzing for Occasional loads.
Wind shape factor shall be considered as 0.7. Wind loads shall be considered as acting
along the horizontal axes (both in the +ve and in the ve directions, that is, along North,
South,
East
and
West
directions),
but
not
acting
simultaneously.
Wind pressure for the different Elevations shall be specific to the Project as per the Project
Civil/Structural design basis. The same shall be considered for wind data input in piping
analysis.

e) PSV Reaction Force

If the Piping System being analyzed consists of PSV (pressure safety valve), the reaction
force due to PSV operation shall be considered as applicable and a static equivalent
method of stress analysis shall be performed considering the same.
A Dynamic Load Factor equal to 2.0 shall be applied on the valve reaction force value.
However, in the case of valves of high reaction force values, the DLF value calculated as
per appendix-II of ASME B31.1 may be used, based on valve data if provided by Vendor.

f) Slug Force
For lines having slug flow regime, as identified by the Process group on P&ID/line list, slug
force shall be considered in the piping stress analysis. Slug force shall be calculated as
below:
Fslug = () (A) (V2) [2(1 cos )]1/2 DLF
Where,
Fslug = Force due to slug in Newton.
= Density of the slug in Kg/m3,
A = Inside area of pipe cross section in m2,
V = Velocity of moving slug in m/sec.

 = inclusion angle at elbow or change of direction

DLF = Dynamic Load Factor (DLF) equal to two shall be used, unless more accurate value
is available.

Fig1: Forces at a 90 bend (or 90 change in direction or at intersection)

Faxial = () (A) (V2) DLF
Forthogonal = () (A) (V2) DLF
Slug
properties
shall

be

obtained

from

Process

group.

Equivalent static analysis in Caesar-II shall be performed to simulate slug loading in piping
system, with the slug force calculated as above.

g) Forces Induced by Surge Pressure

The effect of surge on any line, as identified by the Process group or a specialist agency,
shall be considered in piping analysis.
However two concurrent occasional loadings need not to be considered in piping stress
analysis.

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,
A. Maximum Design Temperature & Pressure
B. Operating Temperature & Pressure
C. Minimum Design Temperature & Pressure
D. Test Pressure
8. Check if any Occasional loading is applicable for the selected system,
. Wind Loading
A. Seismic Loading
B. PSV reaction forces
9. Note down environmental Data of the project,
. 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 No.

Load Case

Stress Type

Combination Type

L1

WW+HP

HYDRO

Algebraic

L2

W+T1+P1

OPE

Algebraic

L3

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

OPE

Algebraic

L4

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

OPE

Algebraic

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 No.

Load Case

Stress Type

Combination Type

L1

WW+HP

HYDRO

Algebraic

L2

W+T1+P1

OPE

Algebraic

L3

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

OPE

Algebraic

L4

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

OPE

Algebraic

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 No.

Load Case

Stress Type

Combination Type

L1

WW+HP

HYDRO

Algebraic

L2

W+T1+P1

OPE

Algebraic

L3

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

OPE

Algebraic

L4

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

OPE

Algebraic

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