Stressguy,
Thanks for the update on the way Caesar calculates the stresses around a bend and I had noted that this option was there BUT the location of the maximum stress in a bend, unless you are very lucky, will not coincide with 0, 45 or 90 degrees. Typically the position of the maximum bend stress could be at any angle around the bend. Using initial, midpoint and far end nodes is not enough to capture the highest stress position but is better than what Caesar used to do by just checking at either end of the bend.
I agree with your first note. I have come across many stress reports where the sustained run indicated pipe lift-off. It's a by-product of having pipe stress software which is easy to use by users whom do not know what to look for in the results. Even had a recent project where the results from a user of Caesar had the vertical seismic loads on several supports greater than the pipe weight, so the pipe would lift off in reality, but it took me some time to convince the analyst that he needed to do something about the situation. Not the software's problem - just the user.
