Stress and Vibration Analysis: Key Deliverables for Piping.

Piping stress and vibration analysis is a critical aspect of engineering design and maintenance in industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, and power generation. The key deliverables in piping stress and vibration analysis typically include the following:

1. Stress Analysis Report

• Purpose: Documents the results of the stress analysis, demonstrating that the piping system complies with relevant codes and standards (e.g., ASME B31.3, B31.1).
• Contents:

1. Introduction and scope of the analysis.
2. Design criteria and assumptions.
3. Stress analysis methodology.
4. Results of the analysis, including stress levels, displacement, and forces.
5. Comparison of results with allowable limits.
6. Recommendations for any necessary design changes or reinforcements.

2. Vibration Analysis Report

• Purpose: Evaluates the vibration characteristics of the piping system to ensure safe operation and prevent fatigue failure.
• Contents:

1. Overview of vibration analysis objectives.
2. Description of vibration sources and operating conditions.
3. Methodology used for vibration analysis (e.g., modal analysis, harmonic analysis).
4. Results, including natural frequencies, mode shapes, and response amplitudes.
5. Assessment of vibration levels against acceptable criteria.
6. Recommendations for vibration mitigation measures if required.

3. Piping Isometric Drawings

• Purpose: Provides detailed drawings of the piping system, indicating key dimensions, supports, and stress critical points.
• Contents:

1. Isometric views of the piping system.
2. Locations of supports, anchors, and guides.
3. Identification of high-stress areas.
4. Notations for recommended changes based on stress analysis results.

4. Support and Hanger Design

• Purpose: Ensures that the piping supports and hangers are appropriately designed to handle the stresses and vibrations.
• Contents:

1. Detailed design and placement of supports, hangers, and anchors.
2. Load calculations and specifications for each support.
3. Drawings and installation instructions for supports and hangers.

5. Load Cases and Combinations

• Purpose: Defines the various load cases considered in the analysis and the combinations used to evaluate the piping system's response.
• Contents:

1. Description of static load cases (e.g., thermal expansion, dead weight, internal pressure).
2. Description of dynamic load cases (e.g., seismic loads, wind loads, fluid hammer).
3. Combinations of load cases used for the analysis (e.g., operating, sustained, occasional).

6. Compliance and Code Checks

• Purpose: Verifies that the piping system design complies with relevant industry codes and standards.
• Contents:

1. List of applicable codes and standards.
2. Summary of code checks performed.
3. Detailed results of code compliance checks.
4. Explanation of any deviations and their justifications.

7. Recommendations and Mitigation Measures

• Purpose: Provides actionable recommendations to address any identified issues or potential problems.
• Contents:

1. Suggested design modifications.
2. Additional support or bracing requirements.
3. Vibration damping or isolation solutions.
4. Operational recommendations to minimize stress and vibration impact.

8. Field Verification and Testing Plan

• Purpose: Outlines the plan for verifying the analysis results through field inspections and testing.
• Contents:

1. Procedures for field verification of support installation and piping alignment.
2. Testing methods for validating stress and vibration analysis (e.g., strain gauging, vibration monitoring).
3. Criteria for acceptance and documentation of field verification results.

Conclusion

The key deliverables in piping stress and vibration analysis ensure that the piping system is designed, analyzed, and documented to meet safety, reliability, and regulatory requirements. These deliverables provide a comprehensive understanding of the system's behavior under various conditions and guide necessary design adjustments and operational practices.

References

• Becht, C. IV. (2013). Process piping: The complete guide to ASME B31.3 (4th ed.). American Society of Mechanical Engineers. ISBN: 978-0791861193
• Antaki, G. A. (2003). Piping and pipeline engineering: Design, construction, maintenance, integrity, and repair. Marcel Dekker. ISBN: 978-0824705291
• Peng, L.-C., & Peng, T.-L. (2009). Pipe stress engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. ISBN: 978-0791802851
• Soedel, W. (2004). Vibration of shells and plates (3rd ed.). CRC Press. ISBN: 978-0824753803