Hi George,

First, I would hope that you are a mechanical or structural engineer.  If so you will have a solid background in the analysis of irregular space frames (beam theory).

The quickest way to get a good grasp of the topic as a start is to attend a well designed professional seminar.  ASME offers seminars that are taught by the people who sit on the B31 Pressure Piping Codes.  I highly recommend these.  It is important to recognize that the design and analysis of piping systems is very closely controled by Codes and Standards.  You must really learn the C&S that you will be using.  At one time there were several good books that could guide you.  there are not many still left in print.  I only know of one undergraduate program that teaches pipe stress analysis and that would be the one offered by the University of Houston.  

Finding this discussion board will help you.  Also, check into the ASME Pressure Vessel and Piping discussion board and the COADE discussion board.  People with some experience will be glad to help.

You will not learn everything in one week, one month one year.  I diligently studied the subject for 15 years before I considered myself competent.  There are a few trade magazines that occasionally print on topic articles, but not many.  

The following is copied from a previous thread posted on this board:

On the subject of books, I believe that the best available contemporary piping design book is "Practical Guide to ASME B31.3 Process Piping", by G.E. Woods and R.B. Baguley (published by CASTI Publishing Company, 14820 29th Street Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5Y 2B1, Canada, Telephone (403) 478-1208, Fax (403) 473-3359  ).  Another useful book(s) (albeit, now out of print) is "Introduction to Pipe Stress Analysis " (2 volumes) by Sam Kannappan, 1992, (ISBN 0 89464 706 7), Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, 32950.  Mr. Kannappan is also a B31.3 Code Committee member.  The Kannappan book shows pipe stress analysis approaches as they are done today with the contemporary computer programs.  Another book, Piping and Pipe Support Systems, by P.R. Smith and T.J. Van Laan was published by McGraw Hill.  I recommend finding a copy in a library and looking it over before you buy.  A good ("must have") but rather pricey reference book is the Piping Handbook, 6th edition, edited by M. L. Nayyar and published by McGraw Hill ,1992, IBSN 0 07 046881 8, (this book is an update of a classic reference which was originally written by R.C. King and S. Crocker; if you could find an old 5th edition of this handbook (on the internet as a used book) you would find excellent writing on pipe stress analysis by John Brock, including some wonderful historical information.   One other standard reference (it does not address stress analysis but is a good reference for design) that is found in nearly all piping design firms is "The Piping Guide" by D.R. Sherwood and D.J. Whistance - ISBN 0-914-08219-1 (Syentek, PO Box 26588, San Francisco, California 94126).  The "Piping Guide" is commonly used is community colleges for teaching layout and good practice.  Piping Design for Process Plants, by H. F. Rase (Library of Congress Card Number 63-17483) is a good practical guide but not very deep in theory or technical background.  It is still available through several book sellers (e.g., AMAZON.COM).  The Seventh Edition of the Grinnell Book, Piping Design and Engineering, has recently been released and can be had by contacting your Grinnell representative ( you will pay either $100.00 or nothing for the book depending upon your relationship with your Grinnell Rep.).  This book is useful but by no means as technical as the "Kellogg Book"  Also, the methods shown for hanger sizing are not as accurate as a computer model.  The "Kellogg Book" - "Design of Piping Systems"  is, of course, out of print.  The last issue was the "revised Second Edition" which was published after 1977 (ISBN 0 471 46795 2, Library of Congress Card Number 56-5573).  About 50 percent of the book is obsolete and of only historical interest to the practical piping Engineer.  The other 50 percent of the book is useful even today and provides good background information.  I have seen the book listed on at least one used technical books site but I cannot remember where I saw it.  It should be out there as a used technical book because a lot of them were sold.  "Process Plant Layout and Piping Design", by Ed Bausbacher and Roger Hunt (IBSN 0 7913 0543 5 ), originally by Auerbach Publishers )it might be published somewhere else now), 1990, might be useful to you but, because it is pricey, I recommend finding a copy in a library and looking it over before you buy.  I have seen some advertising for seminars of between 3 and 5 days duration which are done by Mr. Ed Bausbacher (who is the author of the book "Process Plant Layout and Design").  

You may want to try Brown Book Store in Houston Texas for some of these books(713-652-3937, www.brownbookshop.com, orders@brownbookshop.com).  Brown Book Store sometimes has "out of print" books.  Other sites to visit: www.pipingdesign.com, and www.pipingnews.com.

There are special books covering special topics such as underground piping, plastic piping, large diameter piping and pentstocks, etc.  These are specialized and if you need references to these come back to this forum for direction.

Every year the Pressure Vessel and Piping (PVP)Division of ASME has a conference which produces about 100 good papers (about 40 percent piping subjects) and these papers are gathered into publications which are offered by ASME. You could write to ASME and get on their mailing list for publications.

Best regards, John.