Cs ‘The American Society of © Mechanical Engineers Reprinted From PVP -- Vel. 169 Design and Anafysis of Piping and Components Editors: O. N. Truong, E. C. Gooding. JR. J. J. Balaschak, and G. E. 0, Wide Buok No. HoosB4 ~ 1989 ‘TREATMENT OF SUPPORT FRICTION JN PIPE STRESS ANALYSIS Liang-Chuan Peng Peng Enginooring Houston, Texas ABSTRACT. ‘The Ieieiion force at the pipe support hae a significant effect an the besavior of « piping system. Jost like an analysis without Incinding the restraint effect, an analysis without including the support friction may be meuuingless m some cares. The treatment of support friction in fhe pipe stress analysis is not yet welt defined in peace. Tb: paper will try to cutline the procedure to be used in the analysis. The paper Lavi presents a iypicel problem to show the significance of the support frie~ Hoa, K then discusses some techsiques used in the inclusion of the friction in a computer programa. Dotailed discussion is given in the arrangement ot the anelysis to comply With the piping code require- ments of separating the sustained stress from the self-limiting etree, Special treatment of wind ond earthquake loads are also discussed, The paper deals only with the wlutie agpeet of the wualysis. INTRORUCTION Support friction in a piping system can prevent ‘the pipe from free expansion thus creating a higher stress in the pipe and © higher toad ox the connecting equipment. However, in certain instances the friction ean help slubilize the system and reduce duroage. Byen in dealing with pure thermal expansion, the friction can serve as guides thus preventing = large load from being transmitted to the rotating equipment. ‘Therefore, there is no rule of thumb as te whether 3 ig nouconservative to ignore the friction, In gene ral, when dealing with the dynamic load, the friction tens to reduce ihe agmituie of Hou the pipe sirese nd the equipment load, In this case, ile omission of the Irletion is conservative, However, there ie 2 general rule goveraing ihe slate Toud. Ln itis case, the effect of the friction need to be investigated lo simulate 86 closely § possible the real siluation, 143 ‘The effect of the friction is more important in some areas, In the analysis of the long transmission pipeline [1], it is entirely the balancing of the friction force agsinst the potential expansion force. Without including the friction the analysis woulé have been meaningless. Another area of importance ia the piping connected te the rotating equipment. The rota- Lug equipment is notorious for its lew allowsble piping Iouds. Sometimes the friction #t exe support can conmpletely change the acceptability of the piping sysicui. Take the system shown in Figure 1 for instance. The restarint at 25 is installed to protect the compressor at 10. The effect of the friction at 25 is demonstrated hy comparing the anslysia resolts of the case with friction against the case without tie friction. Jt is clear that the friction at restraint 25 is significant. By applying API STD-617 [1] eriteria, only the loed calesiated with the resraint but without the ‘riction 6 neceptable. ‘The API erilerie is evale- ated sepacaicly and is mol included in this paper. Pipe Pata :223.9mm 0,0, (12" nominal), 9, Sunmtk (ta), 180% 92360 MPa, exp Yate = 1.53imm/m, wi-75,5 kg/n: friction factor at 25% 9.4 Wigare 1, Hifect of Friction on Compressor PipingTable 1, Pipe Load at Discharge . ee ru Condition £0) Ee fy fe a x an Ro aint “EMS “8727 S227 B19 -10152 -1629 Les Restraint ee Withont= +1405 -2913 -209 114917 2006 - Friction : 10GB = Pu, stopped Kestraial : with- “4738-3397 -389 1: (Pst = Pa, Moving Friction oe ; at” a By ‘eluding the friction tn the asalysis, the ra designer will appreciate the requirement of using. Tow a Hriction force triction type sliding plates or stratn, Some might Normat restraint force think that tow friction slicing plates stould fine boon Fr 27 Goottiovent of friction used in the first place, The truth is lat the friction is very often needed for the smoot operation of the muchine. It stabilizes the yiping and dampens owt the potential vibration. Furthermore, the popular low friction sliding plate adds a considerable problemi in ‘the operation and maintenance of the plant. NON-LINEAR RESTRAINTS In a finite element computer program the fric~ tion is handled by the friction element, However, to make the input mors efficent and the interectiun spore direct, the support element upd the feletion element ere often co:pbined inlo one three dimen sional interface element [2]. In piping it is called by the general term, Non-Linear Restraint (31. ‘The uon-linear vestvaint defizes the restraint direction which is perpendicular to the Gliding suriace. or 2 non-Knear restraint to be able to include the friction, it hse to huve the capubiity to perform the functions as shown in Figure 2, aud ae described in the following : (). Create a friction vector in she sliding sur face. Normally this is defined by two local mutually perpendicular vectors which ave perpendicular to the pesirain: direction, Jn a Yrdireclion vesiraint, the frietion yeetor i to be determined by the X- une Z- vectors. (2), Tf the potential iriction force is suificient to stop the pipe from moving along ihe restraint surface, the pips will be stopped. The resattant friction force created is legs thon the potential fri tion force. Tt ig egual to the force roqnired ta clas~ ilelly stop the pipe from moving, (3), If the potential friction force is not large enough lo stop the pipe Irom moving along the rez traint surface, the pipe will move. ‘The vesuitant friction force wrested 18 the produet of the normal restraint force and the coefficient of friction. The friction applied to the pipe ts directly opnosite to the pipe movement, saa = Pipe displacement Figure 2, Friction Restraints ‘The potential friction force is the product of the resteaint normal force anu the coelficient of friction. in the calculation, a smali displacement is assumed to be vegulved to develop the fuli potential irietion, ‘This displacernent {5 taken ae so small that ita exis- tence Wi? rot affect the resnlt of the analysi«, ‘Theoretically both static and sliding fraction coefficients have 1a be used, However, even if the \runeisUons) pipe motion Is belug stopped, the rota- ion end jerking of the pipe make +t difficult to main- tain the static coefficient, tn practice only the sliding or cynamic coefficient is used. Ia acdition to the friction handling capabtity, a noa-Hnear restraint can also bandle gap, initial load, and plasticity of the restvaint elecant, PIPING MOVEMENTS When & piping system expands, its movement af a given suosori Is not Likely to be in a straight Iino, Therefore, the friction at the support dons not maintain the ‘same direetion throughout the whole expansion process, The siluation is even mere pro- nouneod in a system whic is restrained by limit stows. The pive eam stars out in one dizection, then make @ sharp change after reaching the stop. In this case, the direction of the friction vould also hava to be adjusted constantly throughout the expansion pre- cage. This tye of analysis aan be done with = serieg of analyses af incremental steps, At each Step the expansion is incensed hy a cerlain inere~ ment with the friction fore balanved at ibe end of eacd step, The foree and moment at each step ure recorded and enveloped te ensure that the most se vere revull is obiained. Although it se preferable to perform the incre= mental analysis to ensure that ne extreme load ia overlooked, the current practice is 10 make « one step analysts. The pipe at the sapport location is agsumed to move ins straight me from the initialposition to the final operating position. I this way ‘the friction a8 applied based ou the final digplaco- went, AU the ‘uterivediate displacements aze ignored, because their existence is temporary in nature, How ever, sound enjineering judgement shorlé be exer- cised to see if 3 more elaborated analysis ts justified COMPUTSR IMPLEMENTATION ‘The concept of the friction element Ls clear, but the compater program inptementation can be different Irom one seftware package to another. For the sake of explaining the implementation detail, a general discussion on the static problem solution procedure is in order. The static pize stress prob- lem 18 solved by first assembling the equilibrium equation (1), [Isp xs a Were, [K} = Stiffness matrix of the piping system ‘XK 3 The unknown nodal displacement vestor F = Tha known nodal load vector The load vector F includes weight, thermal iuitiat Joud, pressure, exlernal force, and so forth, The unknown displacement ean be solved by the inversion of [KE], or most likely by the decomposition of [K] ag in Bquation (2). fe) = i) (Fy Where, [D] > A diagonal matris [14 and [L)7 are nit triangular matrices Doing sack the transpose of the olter, ‘Tho equilibrium equation iv en solved vy ledting ay xey¥ (ap or thy [DP Y= (a Where ¥ iS en intermediate solution vector which is being used as a bridge of the solution. A forwani substitution is performed on Raustion (4) fo solve ¥, ‘This ¥ is then used in Rquation (8) i solve ike displacement X by back substitution. The decompos!- sion step in Equation @) takes a lot more computer time than the substitution steps in Equations (3) and (2), This wakes the avoidance of the decomposition step highly desirable. ‘The compater program Implementation of the support friction can be eotegorized into three groups. boing discussed im the following. They ait ase the interative approach, but cach group has ils strong aad Weak points. Some emphasize the saving of the compuler lime, While otters are more concerned about the convergence and stability, In the long run, the lex originally intended ie save compucer time might end up using move computer time due to. unexpected slowness in convergence, 5 scheme bas very iitle practical valve i it dees aot corverge, or if it is not stable. Ths following are the detailed disouesion on the chrnctorielice ef each scheme. (1), Direct Substitution of Friction Force ‘Phe most simple method is the direet substi- tation of the forces expected from ihe friction, The analysis starts out with no friction to find ost the potential movasient of the piping. The friction forces corresponding i@ these movements are then iacluded in the load veetor, F, for 2 new enalysis, ‘The pro- cedure continues iteratively until the convergence is reached when no significant change eccurs batwoan two consecative analyses. “his sethod is straight forward. It requires no additional decomposition of the stiffues matrix ateack avalysin, Therefore, 1 appears to have the potential of naving some computer time. Tue metuod works fine in some rather rigid systems wlere the friction dees not affect the direction of the movement, ut works very poorly for most practical piping sys- tems waleh always have considerable flexibility to absorb thermal expansion, ‘This acheme does not have the capability to stop the ripe when the stop- ping force required is leas than ihe polential friction force, Instead it keeps applying the same full fric- tion force to the syste resulting in & back and forth oscillatory but no ending iterations. ‘Pris method also quickly becomes divergent when applied to the system which hae considersble movements in the Mextole direction. In this flexible direction, if the friction force is gppliod against the movement, 9 very largo displacement will be crented opposite te the original movement. Tue situation revurecs doring the next ileretion will the displace- ments rendomly getting bigger and bigner in each subsequent iteration, (2), Fixed Stiffness Method Ta this method, each frictional restraint is as- sighed two factitions orthogonal restrainie laying on fhe plane perpendicular io the main supporting res- treint ap shown in Plgure %, The spring rate of these Iwo reatrainte are taken lo be the same ag the snitial slepe given in Figure 2, cro Qty -Wactitious Ley Restrain Mata Support if Restraint 7 Factitious Restraints ‘Maax Support Restraint Figure 3, Factitious Restraints ‘When the pipe moves along the support plane, resistance forces will be yorerates om these two.factitious restraints. Theae forces ere the simulation of the friction effect. When the resultant fore trom these two restraints is leas tuen the potential friction force, the pipe is being stopped by tke friction, The forces geuerated are the avixal friction forces acting in the corresponding directions. If the resuliant force exceeds the potential friction force, then the pipe is moving. In this case, since the friction force gener- ated is greater than the potential friction force, an adjustment needs to be made, The method applies a reverse external force back to the systom to counter balance the excessive resistance force generated. Tue ides is to muke the combined effort, from the resit tance of the restraints and the reverse exteruel foree, equivalent to the friction expected, ‘The itevation eon tinues until the combined eflect at each restraint matches the feietion expected. Each iteration in this fixed stiffness mothoz changes onily the load vector, F, No redecomposition of the stiffness maieix 25 required, Yet it has two factitious stiff springs which serve to stabilize the syste: and to readily stop the pipe fram meving When it is called for, ‘This method bes the advantage of the first method in preserving the decomnosed stiffness aatrix, bat has less tondency in getting into the domain of divergence. Tt is qwite popular in the finite element analysis (4]. However, the method dass: have some undgsivable behaviors. Again thess unde- sirabie behwviors are more pronounced in flexible systems. First, since the two fuctitioas restraints are Tairly stiff in most caves, if can take a large number of iterations to have the pipe moved to the final destination, The snost disturbing part, however, ig when the movement reverses at @ certain point in ‘the next iteration, the reverse axternal force derived from the previous iteration will teal to reinforce the reversal, This van often lead to an instable analysis. (8), Variable Stiffness Metbod ‘Phe first two methods discussed are all based pa the ides of preserving the most computer time intensive martix decomposition process. Fowever, in piping stress analysis, the use of limi stops, single~ acting restraints, end other non-linear features have become common ‘place, Te aveount for these nonlinear Features, the revision and redecomposition of the stiffness matrix has become a nevessity throug each © @GOOBDH OS OOOO D OD=762mm, ‘Thick=6. 85 mm S.S. Steel, B= 195120 MPa Tota} unit weight = 449.2 kghre ‘Temp=-165°C, exp-rate = -2, 78 mm/rm Friction Cocifieignt = 9.3 Pipe SEND RADUS = 2.236" 2 iteration. Based on this premise the saving of the decomposed stilivess matrix has become less impor- tant of a factor in pipe strese analysis. Like the fiaed stif mess method, the yariable stiffness method also assigns iwo factitious restraints ai each restraint loeaiion to simulate the friction, Only the stiffness or the spring rate of thase facti- tious restraints are not fixed, Depending on the deve~ lopers, Some schemes start out with some stiffuess, while others start out with Zoro resistance, The stiffness of these factitious restrsints at euch itera tion ig estimated irom the previous iteration. The stifiness matrix ia then revised for these updated spring rates and for the wctivily changes of other non-linear vestraitts. It is then redecomposed for the new Heration, A more detailed discussion on this method can be found in Reference [5]. ‘The variable stiffness method normally converges to the required accuracy much quicker Ikan the other two amethods digeussed, ‘This males ihe total computing effort requiced by thie method hot much different from those of the otter methods, although the matris decomposition is performed at every Heration. The convergence in this method ean also get quite Slow if there are multiple locations where the pipe is being stopped by the friction in the system. The solution, bowaver, is alwaye stable EXAMPLE All the above turee methods bave been in use by different pipe stress computer programs, No matier whieh method {6 adopted, there are refine ments thst need to be mada in the programming. These include the methods of increasing the conver genee rate and the achewes for avoiding an ineatble solution, ‘These vefinements are proprietary to the program developer and are not obvious to the users. ‘Their effectiveness eam only be measured by thelr actual performace. The example system shown in ‘igure 4 with the partial ceaults tabulated in Table 2 can serve as a benchmark, Thie is a flexible off- Bite system With considerable movement ia the flex- ible direction of the system. It is a iypicul system hose solution can easily become sastable when gsing, sume of tho lese sophisticated iteration schemes. ‘Table 3 compares the unalysiv resulls of the cage with iriction against the case without friction. Figure 4, Example Off-site Plptag System 146,‘Table 2, Partial Results of the Example Analysis case i Tee wr esate seagrass Da TT 35,0800, PRES {4 CHUL 0 SUPPORT EONS ~ INCLUEI FRICTION CALTNG OW SHPO Suonorr ano axe soar — er oices sees ss e301 bs Suet Th FORCES ©) HORS OM 1 wwe POOR oon wos mer ee eS woo ® o 8 8 wo 6 eo 9 8 oe ayo ° er RYO ° er) sy # o 0 6 6 ws 8 oo 8 8 er ® boa 8 ay ° rn ww 0 ob ee ws ° a 9 @ 8 we ® eo 9 8 8 wos e © 6 8 8 sym ° a ays ° rr av 0 o 8 6 6 wo ° ob 8 8 sy ° eo 9 8 6 RY i ° rn aw ae ° rr Ry us ° eo 8 oe 8 sy ise ° o 5 88 NY 388 ° a) ° oo 8 8 fio 700 “seis gone tess n28s 76s Facrton woes (8) TOAD FY HL wes Table 3 Comparison of the Hxarnyle Analysis Bead Moment al 1004, ay Om) Anchor Load at 3 xin) | My (em) ‘with Irrietion | 222600 | 10001 ‘28830 Iwithout r Priction 18746 | 125042 seaage i REKERENCES (cont.) 6. Building Code Loads, ASNT Abs. I, American Nat. Sta, Inst. API Standard G17, Ceuinifugal Compressors for General Refinery Servioeg, Aimericus Petroleum inst. Wastungfon, D.C. “7 It is obvious thst without the friction the axial anchor load would have been very Small. On the other and, ‘the friction tends to prevent the pipe from anoving inlo the flexible lateral direction, This, in essence, serves as the guide preventing the anchor from getting the moment creaied by the lateral movement of the pipe, Because of the restriction on the laters) rpovement, the syste hecomes more slit Thus resulting in higher bending moment ai the bend, CODE COMPLIANCE ANALYSIS In order to comply with the Piping Code requ- jrements, the analysis has to separate the sustained stress from the self-luniting stress. ‘The friction in 8 piping system is generally cnysed by the weight being pused by thermal expassion, Weight is susta- ined Ionding bul thermal expangion is self-limiting. ‘The friction on the other hand is passive which by itself dees not have the damaging potential. Vor the convenience of the analysis, the friction can betreated a8 self-limiting same as im the case of thermal expansion. To actisfy tue Code requirement of separating the stresses, separate load cases for ‘weight, thermel and occasionul loads have to be performed, But wiihout ihe weight the thermal exp- ansion will hardly have any friction resistence. That is, ¥ the straight weight or expansion is applied to the corresponding Ioad cases, the driction force will completely @iasppear from the picture. Therefore, special srrangomients have to be made ¢o the friction effect can be accounted for properly. ‘One mettod to iuclude tho friction yet still be abie to separate the sustained stress from ihe sell- Limiting slrese ts to apply the weight loading under the normal operating condition as the initial support Toad. With this method, the waight load ander the normal operating candition if firet determined at anch support. Thin load ie then used as the support initial loud for the analysis of the thermal aud occasional toad cases. That is, if the normal operating weight load is 2000%, and the thermnal expansion load 1s 1000, them tke support friction is included based on the supyort norzaal force of 2000N. ‘Tze single-actin restraint activity status will algo be checked based an the premise thot the support fsitial force fs there, ‘The normat opersting weight Ioad is the belan- ced weight load under the operating condition, Tt i the weight load calculated by rexnoving the inactive restraims at where the pipe is paghed off the support hy the thermal expansion, OCCASIONAL LOAD ANALYSIS ‘The ovcasional load, by pipmg code criteria, is to be combined with the Sustained Joad. In theory it can be directly added to the Weight load for the ana- lysis. Woweyer, because the sustained load has its own zeparate requirements and the aceasional load ie always consisered aa dual directional, the weight and occusional loads ure nocmally analysed with separaie load cases in practice. Tm the occasional load analysis, the initial wei- ght load wey also be included in the calculstion of the friction effect. Although some may argue that the weight Snitial Ieed is already included in thersoa} expansion analysis and sbowld not be included again in the oceasional load analysis. But the friction due to weight is ell thore to reaist the oecusionsl lous motion wiether the pipe bas gone througtr the expan sion process or oot, Nevertheless, since the friction tends to help the system in resisting the oveasional Joad, its inclssion to the occasional load analy: requires some justifiention. The practices varies due to the dfecent beliefs in the availability of the iniiai weight load during te occasional losd condition, The earthquake aad wind load analyses are norm ally one with ihe equivalent static meciod given by ANS{ A981 [6]. In this method the pipiag 1s upplied with the Horizontal load appropriate for the location of the piping. The vertical load is not addressed In tacit recognition. af the adequacy of tho normal sup- port structare in resisting the load, The verticat load may or may not be adequately sapported by the nermal support siractuce, but = does have » aigni- 148 ficant effect on the intial welght load, During the earthquake, because of the upward acceleration existing ut a certain instant, the pipe may be Ufted up fully or partially from the support leaving very Lille Weight load on the Cupport, Therefore, the jnclasion of the initial luad in estimating the Sriction will be nonconservative. Tue sarce, in a lesser degree, is aléo true during the hurricane condition. Based on the above consiceration, some companies require that the initial Weight load, i? sot the tric~ tion, cannot be incleded in earthquake and vind load analyses, Othors have allowed the initial weight loa ia the Wind load case, but nol un the earthquake Joad case, Jn ony ease the magatade uf the occasional Joada gai their method of analysis waall be cleazly defined in the Design Specification, CONCLUSION The sapport friction cam have a significant effect on the pipe load at the commecting equipment. H can also imerease the thermal expansion stress by several folds in some cases. There ere different methods which can be used to implement a computer program in bandling the support fziction, Some are more effective in certain eases, and aome may not give a stable resol: ander certain conditions, Owing to the inherent flexibility ica piping eystem, the simple direct substitution of the Triction force scheme doce uot Work well in the anulysis of piping systems, In order to comply with the ASME BEPY and ANSI B31 Piping Code requixements of separating the sustained stress from the self-limiting stress, separate loud cases are perlormed for weight, ther mal expansion, and occasional toads, The weight support load is included in the thermal expansion '8 for calculating the friction effect. Mawever, vight support load may or (nay not bo included in the occasional lesd analysis depending on the individual design specification. While it is geserelly more conservative in including the Friction in thermal expansion wualysis, a separete expansion analysis without including the friction is also recommended to check the loading condition afver the system has gone through @ long period of operation with the friction effect shaken off. The inclusion of te initial weight in the occasional load analysis requires some serious consideration, ‘The initial weight should not be tucluded uf the pipe is likely to be tifted off the support elthey Tally or partiolly during the occurence of the event, REFERENCES 1, Peng, L.C,, "Stress Anulysis Methoa for Under ground Pipe Lines, "Pipe Line lacustry, Apr & Way, 1278 2. ANSYS Userts Manual, STTFS2, Swarson Araly- ais Systems, foc. mn, Permsylyania, 3. SIMPLEX Ul, Peng Engineering, Houston, Texs. 4, Shah, VN. and Giimore,C, B.," Dynamic Analysis of s Boucture wish Coalomb Friction, "ASME paper 82-PYD-18, July 1982. 5, Sobleszexanski, J. ,"“taclusion of Sapport Friction Into & Computerized Solution of a Self-Compensating Pipeline, "ASME paper 71-WA/P¥B-1, Nov, 1971,