How to interpret a CAESAR II pipe stress analysis output report?

[cabalen]

I am new to piping design and I would like to know how to interpret the output report from CAESAR II pipe stress analysis. What are the specific items to look at and consider.

Thanks!

 

[StressGuy]

Actually, the reading the output is the easy part - the reports will tell your stresses exceed your code allowables.

OK, so that's an oversimplification. Of course, you've also got to look at your displacements to make sure they're not excessive. You also must look at the restraint reports to make sure terminal and support points are not overloaded, and you've also must look at your bending at flange locations to make sure you won't have unacceptable leakage.

As for the limiting values for these numbers, they are scattered across a variety of other standards, books, vendor literature, and rules of thumb.

But, before you can get to the output, you must first make sure that you've built a piping system model that is a reasonable approximation of the real world. Doing so is as much art as science. I can take just about any piping system and code it so that it passes or fails. Only one way is "correct" and the knowledge of which comes from making lots of mistakes that senior engineers will correct as they check over your first work.

Welcome to the club. I think you'll find this site, and the Coade discussion forum, good resources regarding pipe stress questions.

Edward L. Klein
Pipe Stress Engineer
Houston, Texas

"All the world is a Spring"

All opinions expressed here are my own and not my company's.

 

[cabalen]

Thanks much StressGuy for your informative answer to my query!