1

GRP piping stress analysis

 2
Index

1. Introduction 3

2. Codes and standards 3

3. Input requirement. 3

4. GRP piping and CAESAR II 4

5. Flexibility stresses. 5

6. General Guide lines 7

7. Symbols 8
 3

Stress analysis GRP piping

1. Introduction

This document deals with specific requirement of GRP piping stress analysis as per ANSI B31.3, chapter VII
and BS 7159. This document shall explain the follows:

 Recommendation of codes and standard.

 Input requirement.
 Procedure to be followed for the analysis with CAESAR II program.
 Flexibility analysis
 Guide lines for pipe routing

2. Codes and standards

The following codes are generally followed for GRP piping stress analysis.

 BS 7159
 ANSI B31.3, chapter VII, part 5.
 UKOOA

It is recommended to follow BS 7159 unless otherwise the client specifically requires any other codes

3. Input requirement.

The basic Input requirement is Mechanical properties of GRP piping. These are as follows:

 Modulus of elasticity in axial and circumfrential direction

 Shear modulus
 Poisson ratio
 Thermal expansion co-efficient in axial and circumfrential direction
 Pipe density
 Maximum design stress in axial and circumfrential direction

The above data’s are to be collected from approved pipe fabricator. However, in order to commence the
stress activities, the table 1.0 can be referred.

Table 1.0

Symbol Description Type - B Type - D Type - E

E Modulus of elasticity, axial 10000 12000 8000
N/mm2 Circ 14000 13000 8000
G Shear Modulus of elasticity, N/mm2 46000 4800 3000
m Poisson ratio 0.3 0.3 0.34
 Thermal coefficient,10-6 x axial 30 25 27
k -1 Circ 20 25 27
 Pipe density, kg/m3 1800 1800 1650
 Design stress, N/mm2 axial 22 30 13.3
Circ 50 35 13.3
 4
4. GRP piping and CAESAR II

CAESAR shall be up dated as per the following instructions:

a) Updating of Configuration set up

Go to tools Configure set up FRP PROPERTIS

Fill all the data’s based on the above mechanical properties. It is to be noted that the buttons of Use FRP SIF
and Use FRP flexiblities shall be clicked on always.

Unlike metallic piping, since each type of GRP pipes is having different Mechanical properties, it is not
possible to have one Caesar configuration file for the all the calculation. Therefore, the configuration file and
its respective data’s are need to be checked whenever the type of pipe is getting changed.

b) In computational control, Bourdan pressure shall be activated.

c) Even though the configuration file is being set up, the Caesar always perform the calculation based on the
data available in the “KUAX”. Therefore it is necessary to update the following data in “KUAX”, “special
execution parameter” as well.

 Thermal expansion co-efficient

 Ratio of shear modulus and Modulus of elasticity in axial
 Type of laminate.
 Bourdan effect

d) The modeling of piping is generally similar to metallic piping except “ TEE”. The TEE connection shall be
modeled as an independent object with exact dimension and thickness. This is necessary because in plastic
piping most of stress failure will occurs at “TEE” junction. The thickness of tee can be adjusted up to
permissible limit in order to avoid the stress failure.

e) In input, against material column, select (20) FRP

Allowable stress screen shall have to be filled as follows:

Code : Click for BS 7159

SH1 : Key in Design stress in axial direction
Kn. : Fatigue factor, =1 (unless otherwise the piping system undergoes any severe cyclic
process)
Eh/Ea : The ratio of Modulus of elasticity in axial and circumfrential
(The allowable stress in circumfrential direction shall be calculated based on this data)
K : 0.85 for liquids, and 0.8 for gases.

c) SIF

It is to be noted that if USE FRP SIF has clicked on, while use code of B31.3, The Calculated SIF will be 2.3
irrespective of size and thickness of the bends and tees. This is too conservative. However this can be
generally followed as long as stress failure due to SIF is not critical. Otherwise the user shall enter manually
as follows:

To change the SIF at bend: GO to SIF stresses in configuration set up, click on ‘ ALLOW SIF’. To change the
SIF at TEE: leave the type blank and enter the SIF value. User defined SIF shall be used whenever felt that
2.3 is high.
 5

5. Flexibility stresses.

5.1 BS 7159

As per the requirement of BS7159 the following stresses are to be calculated:

a) pressure induced stresses

b) Bending stress due to pipe weight and its contents(fluid, insulation and rigid)
c) Bending stress due to thermal expansion or contraction.
d) Bending stress due to Occasional load (wind, seismic, etc)

The specific requirement of BS 7159 is the maximum combined stresses of four of above calculated stresses
should not exceed the allowable design stress.

Therefore, in CAESAR, the basic load combination shall be done as follows:

P (SUS)
W (SUS)
T (EXP)
Win (OCC)
U (OCC)
P+W+T+Win (OPE)
P+W+T+U (OPE)

The stress calculated in P+W+T+Win (OPE) or P+W+T+U (OPE) should not exceed the allowable design
stress

Please refer CAESAR catalog for method of linear and non & linear way of load combination

5.1.1 Stress equations

 Pressure induced stresses

XP = p (Di+td)/40td…longitudinal
P = mp (Di+tdd)/20td…Circumfrential

 Bending stresses

Xb = ((Di+2td)/2I) ((MiSIFxi) 2 +((MoSIFxo) 2)0.5…longitudinal

b = ((Di+2td)/2I) ((MiSIFi) 2 +((MoSIFo) 2)0.5… Circumfrential

 Torsional stress

s = Ms(Di+2td)/4I

 combined stress

c = (2 + 4s2 ) 0.5 or (x2 + 4s2 )

As per BS 7159 maximum combined stresses (c) calculated should not exceed the allowable design stress.
 6
 Design stress

The design stress for GRP is can be selected by two ways.

a) Based on data furnished by vendor.

b) Can be calculated as per BS 7159

As far as first case is concerned the allowable value can be straightway taken from vendor furnished data
considering factor of safety as ‘6’. However this factor will vary project to project.

For a second case, the following procedure will be followed:

Design stress = . E LAM

Design strain. This is to be selected from table 4.3 of BS 7159 for applicable fluid type and temperature.

E LAM = modulus elasticity of the laminate

It is to be noted that when longitudinal stress is compressive, which will result in a circumfrential tensile
strain, the design stress will be calculated as follows:

= (-X)/Elam

Design stress =  Elam

5.2 ANSI B31.3

In general, the methodology of stress analysis for plastic piping as per ANSI B 31.3 is as same as the
metallic piping except allowable stress. It is evident that elastic behavior of metallic piping is different from
GRP piping. Hence, the stress range equation (f (1.25S c + 0.25 S h) is not applicable for GRP piping. For that
reason, it is necessary to check the calculated code stress with respect allowable stress (As per vendor
data) manually. This can be done easily by using the filter option in CAESAR. It means the code stress can
be limited up to allowable stress as recommended by vendor.

It is to be noted that, in CAESAR, database for FRP properties for both BS7159 and ANSI 31.3 will be
referred from same configuration file. The allowable stress value has to be keyed in by user. Please be noted
that allowable stresses in hot and cold are same.

All the load combination shall be done as recommended in B31.3, which is no difference from metallic piping.
However, since, as far as GRP piping is concerned, B31.3 is not so dependable, the general practice is
stresses are to be checked for the load combination as recommended in BS7159. That means combination
of stresses due to pressure, weight, thermal and occasional should not exceed the allowable stress.
 7

5.3 Comparison of ANSI B31.3 and BS7159

Subject ANSI B31.3 BS7159

Sustained F/A + SQRT(iI Mi)2 +(i0 M0)2/Z +PDO/4T < p (Di+td)/40td + ((Di+2td)/2I)
stress SH ((MiSIFxi) 2 +((MoSIFxo) 2)0.5
or
mp(Di+tdd)/20td + ((Di+2td)/2I)
((MiSIFi) 2 +((MoSIFo) 2)0.5
Expansion SE
stress
Operating
stress
Occasional
stress
Hoop stress Not considered Considered for loads due to pressure,
temp and occasional.
Design Allowable stress is same for Independent allowable stresses have
stress Longitudinal and as well as been considered for both in
Circumfrential. longitudinal direction and circumfrential
direction
SIF Calculated SIF for bends and tee’s are High
low compare to BS 7159
Expansion No specific equation Specific equations are given
due to
pressure
Stress Load Sustained, expansion, occasional loads Combined load of Sustained,
combination are checked against respective expansion, occasional will be checked
allowable stress independently. against Allowable stress.

5.4 Thermal expansion data

Thermal expansion in mm/Met

Temp 0C Type - B Type - D Type - E

50 0.60 0.50 0.54
55 0.75 0.63 0.68
60 0.90 0.75 0.81
65 0.10 0.88 0.95
70 1.20 1.00 1.08
75 1.35 1.12 1.22
80 1.50 1.25 1.35
85 1.65 1.38 1.49
90 1.80 1.50 1.62

6. General Guide lines

 Pressure Expansion.

Plastic pipes will expand also due to pressure. The expansion of pipe due to pressure can be calculated as
follows.

Step1: Calculate the Equivalent of increase in temperature due to pressure Te= P (Di+td)/120XLAMl
 8
Step 2: Calculate the expansion for the Te by multiplying with thermal coefficient.

The anchor load due to pressure between fixed point = PDi2/4

 Pipe span

The span length between two supports can be calculated as follows:

L = (ELAMDi3/10W) 0.33
It is noted that 5mm sagging can be considered in the calculation, although BS 7159 allowing sagging of
L/300, where L = span length between support

 Thermal force

The anchor load due to Temperature between fixed point = E LAM Td l (td (Di+td)

CRETERIA FOR STRESS ANALYSIS

1. T >750C, PIPE SIZE > 10”, PIPE HEADER LENGTH > 50 M, AND MINIMUM FIVE BRANCHES AND ITS SIZES
ARE NOT LESS THAN 6”.

2. TEMPERATURE 90 DEGREE AND ABOVE, PIPSIZE NOT LESS THAN 14”, CONNECTED TO PUMPS, TANKS,
EXCHANGER AND PRESSURE VESSALS.

7. Symbols

XP = Longitudinal pressure stress, N/mm2

P = circumferential pressure stress, N/mm2
s = Torsional stress, N/mm2
c = Combined stress, N/mm2
P = pressure, N/mm2
Di = internal diameter, mm
td = Thickness of the laminate, mm
m = pressure multiplying factor
Ms = Torsoinal moment, N-Met
Mo = Out plane bending moment, N-Met
MI = In plane bending moment, N-Met
SIFxi = Stress intensification factor in longitudinal direction
SIFx = Stress intensification factor circumferential in direction
A = Cross sectional area, mm2
I = Moment of inertia, mm4