STANDARDS OF THE EXPANSION JOINT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

F. TYPICAL CAUSES OF EXPANSION JOINT FAILURE

Bellows expansion joints will give many years of satisfactory service when they are
properly designed and manufactured for specified piping system conditions_ Failures
can occur for many reasons. but experience has shown that certain causes of failure fall
into fairly distinct categories. The following are some typical causes:
a. Shipping and handling damage. Examples:
Denting or gouging of bellows from being struck by hard objects (tools.
chain falls, forklifts, adjacent structures, etc.)
Improper stacking for shipping or storage_
Insufficient protection from weather or other adverse environmental conditions.
b. Improper installation and insufficient protection during and after
installation. Examples:
Joints with internal liners installed in reverse direction with respect to
flow. Installing a joint in a location other than as prescribed by the
installation drawings.
Premature removal of shipping devices.
Springing of bellows to make up for piping misalignment.
Insufficient protection from mechanical damage due to work in the
surrounding area.
Insufficient

protection

of

bellows

during

nearby

welding

operations. Failure to remove shipping devices before system

operation.
c. Improper anchoring, guiding, supporting of the piping system.
d. Anchor failure in service_
e. Bellows corrosion. Examples:
Improper selection of bellows material for the flowing medium and/or adverse
external environment. Specifically, chlorides leaching from insulation, have been
frequently the cause of stainless steel bellows corrosion. Stress corrosion
cracking (consult material manufacturer for proper selection).
1. System over-pressurization (in-service or hydrotest).
g. Bellows vibration (mechanical or flow-induced) resulting in fatigue failure.
h. Excessive bellows movement (axial, lateral, and angular movement greater than
design values).
i. Bellows erosion. Example:
Bellows without internal finer installed in a system having a very high
velocity and/or erosive flowing medium.
j. Packing of particulate matter in bellows convolutions which inhibits proper
movement of the bellows.

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3-7

STANDARDS OF THE EXPANSION JOINT MANUFACTURERS

ASSOCIATION. INC.

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STANDARDS OF THE EXPANSION JOINT MANUFACTURERS

ASSOCIATION, INC.
4.4

UNIVERSAL CIRCULAR EXPANSION JOINT MOVEMENTS

The unrestrained non-cyclic movements of a universal expansion joint centerspool

due to dead
weight should be considered in the design. The movements applied to each bellows
may he
calculated as follows:
(for axial movement)
(4.-12)
(for lateral movement)
(4- 1 3 }

The above movements should be combined with the other design movements to
confirm that the total movements per convolution and e, do not exceed the
maximum value e (max) and
er (max). In addition, the calculated total stress range (St) based on the above
movements at the design pressure must be less than 1.5 C,5/,. The dead weight
of the centerspool may be
supported by devices such as pantograph linkages and slotted hinges.
4.5

COLD SPRINGING OF CIRCULAR EXPANSION JOINTS

The term "Cold Springing," as defined by the Piping Designer, entails prestraining of the
elements of a piping system at the time of installation, so that the thermal stresses
in the piping in the operating position are appreciably reduced. As applied to
Expansion Joints, the purpose of cold springing may be considerably different,
although the mechanism is basically the same.
"Cold Springing" is defined as the lateral or angular offset of the ends of an
Expansion Joint
when installed and should not be confused with the terms "pre-compressing."
"pre-extending" or "presetting." These latter terms apply to the adjustment of an
Expansion Joint in an axial
direction to allow for specified amounts of axial compression or axial extension
within the limits
ec and e, established by the manufacturer. In some cases it may not be practical to cold
,
spring an Expansion Joint at the factory. The reasons for "Cold Springing" an Expansion
Joint are described below.

4.5.1

FORCE REDUCTION
In a wide range of present day applications, the force required to deflect an
Expansion
Joint is of significant importance. Where the Expansion Joint is used to
relieve loading on sensitive equipment. or anchor structures are limited to
extremely small loads, cold
springing the Expansion Joint at installation will effect a reduction in the
maximum
deflection force value of as much as 50%. In other cases, 100% cold
spring may be used to provide minimum lateral deflection forces at the
operating position.

4.5.2 STABILITY
Figures 4.3, 4.4. and 4.5 illustrate the positions assumed by bellows
subjected to angular rotation and/or lateral deflection. In all cases, the
movement is achieved by rotation of the convolutions, so that one side is
extended and the other compressed. It has been noted previously that a
bellows displaced in this manner. when subjected to internal pressure, is

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11.) Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association. Inc.

STANDARDS OF THE EXPANSION JOINT MANUFACTURERS

ASSOCIATION. INC.
acted upon by an unbalanced pressure force or couple which, if
sufficiently large. could result in distortion of the bellows.
Because the magnitude of the unbalanced pressure force or couple is
proportional to the internal pressure and the displacement of the
convolutions, a reduction in either of these values will improve the
stability of the Expansion Joint. By cold springing the Expansion Joint
50% at installation, the maximum displacement per convolution is
reduced by half and, consequently. the Expansion Joint becomes far more
stable than would be the case if it were deflected fully in one direction.
For this reason, where Expansion Joints are
subject to large amounts of lateral deflection, or where operating
pressures are relatively high, the Expansion Joint manufacturer may
require that the Expansion Joint be installed in a cold sprung condition.
4.5.3 COMPONENT CLEARANCES
Where an Expansion Joint is furnished with internal sleeves, external
covers, or tie
devices spanning the bellows, these components must be designed with
adequate
clearances to accommodate the lateral deflection or angular rotation of
the Expansion Joint. The amount of clearance required is directly
proportional to the displacement and, if the Expansion Joint is cold
sprung 50%, these clearances can be reduced to a
minimum. By cold springing, internal sleeves of maximum diameter
can be furnished, the overall diameter of an Expansion Joint
incorporating external covers or tie devices minimized, and the design of
external structures simplified_
4.6

FORCES AND MOMENTS (See Appendix H)

4.6.1

FORCE AND MOMENT CALCULATION

In order to evaluate the loads upon piping, supports, or equipment, it is
necessary to
determine the forces and moments required to move an Expansion Joint.
For this reason, the catalogs of most Expansion Joint manufacturers
contain force data for the standard designs offered. This data is expressed
as the force required to move a convolution to the rated axial movement
established by the manufacturer. For convenience, it is desirable to
divide this force by the rated movement to obtain a bellows resistance
factor or working
spring rate,
. in pounds per inch of movement per convolution. (Refer
to Section
4.12.1.7 for further discussion of
). Having determined this factor, the
moments and

forces required to move an Expansion Joint may be calculated as follows:

F,, =
(4-14)
e

=.

V}

Do,eo
4
D
,

e
r
2 (4
x),

(for lateral movement)

(4-15)

(for angular rotation)

(4-16)
(for lateral movement of a single bellows)
(4-17)

(for lateral movement of a universal bellows)

2
(L1,
x)

4-6

(4-18)

Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association, Inc.

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