Recommendations on the
design of steel linings for
penstocks
By S. Jacobsen Consulting Engineer*
T
he recent design and construction of several high-
head hydro powerplants with large steel linings has
shown that some designers of such steel linings are
unaware of dangers which can be associated with applica-
tion of the well known Amstutz formulae. These problems
arc discussed, and design recommendations afC put
forward.
Since 1957, when the author began working on hydropower
plants, there have been several buckling accidents in
Switzerland, some because of false buckling calculations,
others caused by drainage systems not functioning. For-
tunately, nobody was killed or injured, but repair works
and loss in energy production demonstrated to owners that
it does not pay to over~economize on the design of steel
linings. Correct design is always the most important
element.
Steel-lined tunnels are periodically dewatered for inspec~
°Rebberf,!,SIrasse 50A, 5430 WeUinjl;ell, Switzerland.
44
tion purposes, and the safe design of the linings may be
critical for the safety of the inspection personneL
This article follows on from several previous papers by
the author published in this journal (see Waler Power &
Dam Construction January and December 1974, December
1977, and May 1983),
To demonstrate the design problems which can arise, the
example will be taken of one of the largest penstocks cver
built. This penstock has a stcel lining with a diameter of
6.8 m. Just downstream of the lower bend in the horizontal
section, the internal design head is specified as 448 m water
column including water hammer and considering 20 per
cent rock contribution. The authors of the specification
have assumed a maximum external pressure equal to 230 m
water column at this point.
This example will now be worked through to compare the
Amstutz and Jacobsen methods for calculation of the pen~
stock design to; withstand the external buckling
pressure.
Water Power & Dam Construction April 1990
 The most important data for this example are The effective width "'" 30 { is more or less selected 'l!
random. "
• allowable stress for internal 0.5 x yield stress or
pressure: 0.4 x tensile It is common to use the formula 1.556 x \i"r~ t (where r
strength (whichever is the pipe radius) for the effective width in curved beam~
is smaller); wi.th wi~e flanges (as used in the Jacobsen formulae), App'.
• welding efficiency for field wclding:O.9; lyIng thIS more correct effective width (631 mm for [his
• safety factor against buckling: 2; example), .the critical external pressure, according to
• rock contribution: 0 or 20 per cent; Arnstutz, YIelds 6.465 N/mm 2 and the corresponding facer
of safety is
• initial gap between liner and
concrete: 0.001 x radius; and, 6.46512.255 "'" 2.87
• allowance for corrosion: I mm.
The supplier of the penstock will normally select a high However, if one calculates the same with the Jacobsep
method (see Internalionai Waler Power & Dam Constr·uc~
strength quenched and tempered steel to keep the plate
lion June 1983) we arrive at a safety factor of onlv 1A.
thickness as small as possible. In this case, the yield stress of
the steel would be 700 N/mm 2 (MPa). For a penstock with- What is the reason for the lack of agreement between
these results?
out stiffeners, a lining thickness of 68 mm would be
Arnstutz loads the stiffener ring only within the effective
required. However, such a plate thickness would cause
width. In the first calculation, the loading width was 30 t :c-
problems and high costs in its manufacture, transportation
1440 mm, but in the second calculation it \vas only 631 mm.
and erection. As a result, the supplier will look for a solu-
Therefore, the Amstutz values are independent ~f the dis·
tion to reduce the nominal wall thickness. As a 49 mm
tance of the rings.
thickness would be sufficient to meet the internal pressure
in this example, the designer will probably select this thick- Thus, the critical Amstutz pressure is the same for
narrow or widely spaced ring stiffeners. In the Jacobsen
ness for the liner and then provide stiffeners welded to the
formulae, the stiffener ring must sustain the total external
outside of the liner to sustain the external pressure. In this
load acting on the lining wall.
case the stiffener would be flat in profile (the most econo-
Amstutz knew about this shortcoming in his philosophy,
mical cross section, providing a ring with a sufficient
The present author wrote the English version of his theorv
moment of inertia); its dimensions would be 250 mm wide
(Wafer Power, November 1970) and discussed it with him"
and 25 mm thick, and rings would be spaced 3000 mm
but Amstutz died shortly after this, and so did not have a~
apart.
opportunity to correct his article.
If the suppliers of the penstock were free to choose the
At the end of this article an algorithm of the author's
method of calculation for the external buckling pressure,
buckling theory is given (Wafer Power & Dam Construc-
they would probably use the Amstutz theory (Water Power
tion, June !983) written in the Pascal programming
November 1970). This is because this theory has been used
langu~ge. ThiS program can be run on a PC using a Pascal
extensively in the past, and, perhaps more important for
compl1er*. The program gives the critical external loads for
the contractor, the Amstutz method tends to give lighter
buckling of the stiffener rings and for buckling of the shell
stiffener rings than the alternative theory propounded by
between the rings. Also, the shear force in the stiffener rinil
the author.
is computed for the welding seam design. If the dimension~
To calculate the critical external load of a ring-stiffened
of the rings are set to zero, the program will calculate an
pipe, Amstutz recommends an effective width of the ring
unstiffened lining. The stiffener may be a flat profile (like
girder equal to 30 t (where t is the thickness of the lining).
the ab~ve example) or may have an additional flange
I~ the cl'tse of this example, the properties of the ring
(T -profde). Sometimes it is economical to use a channel
section would be:
profile stiffener with the two tips welded to the pipe.
effective width ~ (49-1) X 30 1440 mm The program was written with the dimensions Nand
cross section (F) =: mm. It will, of course, also run with other dimensions, but
1440 x 48 + 250 x 25 75370 mm' then all input figures, and the E¥modulus must be chanced
radius of ring 3437.36 mm accordingly. , ( : 0

moment of inertia of ring 173073117 mm'

distance from neutral axis to
outside ring = 261.644 mm Recommendations for the
We can now calculate the Amstutz figures as shown below: designer
• As far as the author is aware, no steel lining has been
damaged as a result of internal pressure. If steel must be
saved, it should be remembered that external pressure is far
more dangerous than internal pressure.
• Dr~inage systems should not be trusted. Especially if
there IS a steady flow through the system, it may be unsafe
after years of operation, Depending on how much water is
entering the system and how much is leaving, actual
external pressure is still unknown. If there is already a
draina?e system, it should be closed during norma!
The critical Amstutz buckling stress (aN) is 320.02 N/mm 2 operatIOn (when the penstock is under pressure).
and the critical external pressure =: 4.647 N/mm 2• ' • The welding efficiency factor should be forgotten. This
The actual external pressure is 230 m water column antiquated provision may increase the wall thicknesses to
(:::::: 2.255 N/mm 2) and thus the safety factor is
4.64712.225 ~ 2.06 >2
46 Water Power & Dam Construction April 1990
dimensions where welding aClUally becomes problematic welding operators should pass a corresponding qualifica-
• Pcnstock welding must be of excellent qua!it y in any tion test, operating the same type of welding machine which
case. is going to be used during production.
• Welding:; should also be checked during production and • Testing of the welding coupons should comprise non-
ereclion, not only by non-deSlructive tesling (run off plates destructive examination, but more imponan: are
with Charpy notch specimens should be used), destructive tests: impacl tests (Charpy V-notch), bending
• Norma! Welding Procedure Tests and Welder tests, hardness tests, tensile tests and so on.
Qualification TcSl~ are usually of little value. A responsible • An allowance in thickness of I mm or more for corrosion
DCnS[ock sUDPlicr will in any case carry out procedure tests resistance is not necessary with today's painting systems.
to ensure that the production of the pipe cans may start and They are good for 10-20 years' operation if abrasion is not
proceed according to the construction programme. too severe. The responsible owners will have the corrosion
• AU welders and welding operators assigned to work protection system repaired before corrosion of the steel
should not only have passed a qualification test of. for surface begins.
example, ASME Section IX. More important is that they • Contact grouting needs time and is costly_ Especially
should have passed a test which simulates production cleaning works and dosing of the grouting holes at the end
welding with respect to material and thickness of plate and arc tedious. It is recommended to limit contact grouting to
elecll"odcs, groove preparation and welding procedure. The a minimum, mainly in the horizonial sections.

Pascal algorithm of Jacobsen's buckling theory-

qi ng the cntlcaJ ex,erna] loads for buckling of the stiffener rmgs and for bucklmg of the sheH be!ween snffener rmgs

proq,a", jH:obs"n: .,,; cti",,,nsc,,n,, mm, """.2,""",J, "H"~ N. NI",,,,; procedu"e jacobse.n
COr1"t var S1:ress, alpha1 "lpha2,oet.1>1 oet:"2,Pl-,p2,nenner,1:erll'.:r,,~1·
f;<,"'2tS,,~G er i;,,,,,,dul o( elast:ici<:-y. !'ois'>tm ,; begir,
sya~7(1G: (~yield stress (or ring ~nd Shell') "lph.. l'~pi.; alphl>;:~C;
llnom"'6BOQ; kk~·)GOC; (·nom.di.",", ,wall thi.ckn. ,di"tance rings') repeat.
~","'2S(l~ (~height:,thlckness of >le" et r,ng'i be1:"l:~alph"; beta2:~alph"'0 60; b"t""re(betal+bet"')j;;;
l;l("'<J; (.widt:h, thickn"ss ,",f fl~nge ef ri"g'i repeat. garol"a:
"vel~Q; ,.·jDltl"x*Dmin)/Onom --> cv~lit:y of n"g'; n"nner: ~ ("qr ( ll+g"p I .r) .gar.,,""+ (sqr (ro) *beta) I .~;
allo"''''l; (·all"",,,nce for ccrn;;>sion ef "hell', pl' K (pi 'r- (1 +gapl'r~gam"'''-''''L51 ~12' tt/""n,.,,,r:
gap~O.OC1' !~initial gap tr"ctic,., ef ,-adius" p2' ~ (aqr (pill) -sqq l/rol ) .£~JI ();:*ro) :
var pk, ""'do, t. k,"w. ft., r, t. ,J ,lle,hi, epsilon, "'lph~, bet", g~",'M ,o",",!a. te"m;~pl-p2,
'lq, pcj. ri. "ol-, s,,;. so1, silo si2,5i1, bl-,b2 .hl ,h2, el ,e2, ( l , n, $1. j 1 oS'. if teno<O th"n betal:"'b"ta;
j2. '-", 1,", a. as. si"m",,,, s ~,!"'''i,,, 'gm". s,qmary : reai: count.: intege,: if terJll>O then b"ta2: ~bet~; betl>: ~ :be't;al +b";1; ... 2) I? ,
unt il abs (b"'t:al-beta2) Ibetal<:O. 000001;
~~~ •• ~~~"""'H"" ~'.H'H"~ .. *~ •••••• ~;~~;: •••••• ~:~:; •••
fClncti"''' t"r.iengl",re"l):,."al' sel: ~p2 * ro~k/tt' si!: ~p; .ro*k/ tt.;
vac r"sult.; .-eal, b"q~n s02: ~ (l/r-l/roj 'ho.E; "U, ~- (l/r-ljro) ~hi 'f.;
if "ngl"~O the" result,,,,O else "03: ~pl"ro'".ho.k/J; si]: "'p2 .,o.a'hi ~);:!:;:

i·········
reSUlt ;~sitl(a(\glellco"!,,,n'll");
procedure in"rtia:
t."n:~ r"sult,
* •••••• * *'~"" •••••• ~"''''''~''''.'.''''''''''''''i
"nd' sigm"o: ~SOl.joso2.josoJ;
i t "i9"'",,0/syo > sig",ai/~yj
It "i9"",0/,;.yo::o",i9.,al/811-
sig",ai: ~si 1~si2+si];
then sig"'l> '~Siglll"O "l"e ",g .. a,~s'g",a,:
then "ig,"~ry:reSYQ eise sigm"ry,~syi,
begln jl:~ bl'h)'sqrthl)/U; j~ F ~l: ¥ "tress ;~$iq.. ",-sig,"~ry; pcj ,~ pl'r/(ri<tj; cou,.,t:~count+l-;
n b)_hl; tl (2 < n:
t.~ ,~ h;.h:;.; e1 h2-hl/;' writel"(CQunt,' t ',t'l:O,' ~lphe ',&11'11."'2;5,' bet" ',o"ta 2:5.
n ;~ 0',,", ,,2 ",2+ Sl; sO/5i ',,,i9...ao:2,2,'I',sig,,,ai:Z:2,' pcj ',pcj:2:5j;
j1 :~ S)'''"; P jl < j); end; if stres,,::o() thell alph"2:~~lph": it stress".O then "lphal,~alph";
' ••••• •••• *
~ *.~ H u~ ~. _ •• ~." u ~ •• ~"'.') alpha,~ {alphal+alpha2l/2; until abs (alpha l-alpha2) I"lpha 1"0, O(!OCO: .
prOCedure propert i"'"
liar ",,~:.-ea1; begir, .", "a.jor. (cos (bet~) -CO" (.lpha)) :
jl:~O' j2:~C; fl'~Q; U:~C; h~,~O; h):~O, e):"'o; 'Iq: E (pill)" (pill) -l/ro/ro) ."'pi/l *t-j; end,
sl::0; ,,2:~O; tt,~O; t'~tno",-allo"': {~ • • • • • • ~ • • • • ~ • • ~~~ h~ ;, ~,.H •••••• u •••••••••••• H i
,; : ~ sqr { (l-<ovalj2 j 'On"'"'/2) I {( l-ev",1/2) 'Dno,:,; 2, ~a i 'cw, procedure skrivl;
e"':~1.556·$qrt!{rl<t./2~·t), ,f e",>k 1:"en e",~);:; begin
if tw~0 the" "'''';~);:; ft:'~k.t+h",.t"'+tf;'bf; "'riteln(X,'l..lS'l'l"G fo, Cm",", ~ ',Dno",:5,'",,,, tllO'" - ',tne",;? ",,"','
tol e'" h1' ~ t; inertia; "rit.. ln (X, '*."..~ •• ~.~~*;,. H . . . . . . . . . ~~ ••••• " , . " * •••••••••••••••• '
tot ,: t", hi ,~ h\;, inerti,,; writ.. ln!lC) ;
bl- :~ b!;
112 :'" h2;
lll:~ tf; inertia,
hi:~ s2/U: ho;~tf+hw.t.~hi; r:~l1i+n;
""iteln(x, 'assumed yield stress"s (er pipe and
, ',&yo:O,' N/",,,,l');
::-i""
"tiffe"",'" '.syi C
J' ",j2-$qr (s21 f2) ~ f2+~qrl t) ~t. (k-ew) 112; er;';, i t t"'>O then begin
'. ~ ." u.~* .. ~. _•• ~ .. ~~ •• " ~u"""""') ""iteln(x, •.. s",u....d dist~nce bet."een ring st.Hte"ers;
pr",""dur" Mis""" writeln(x, ·ul,;.u_d h"ight ~nd thicklles" of ring "eb,
cel1st £","'20S'90.O; ny~o.}; , x " t"',O] ;
v~, psi,la,ha.alf""pmin per per.. kl,k:i ko nYl "'«'Se,,' rEal, i f tt>o then
"~a", n<flnd,": intege,; "ri1:eln(l<, '"ssulll"d "'idth "nd thiCkness of ring flange, " bf; 0,
begin , x " tf: Ol ;
"'rite)"I' n r/k tjr alfa
pct" ) end:
n'~2, 8da,,:~1, per ~), nend:~l-l1U, writeln(x,
~epe~t 'lOll'" lnternlll radiu,. incl. o... ality and "Uo""'nce: ',ri:ll:1);
r:~ri+tno"'/2; 1a:~kjr; ha:ztjr, ""iteln(",
kl-: ~n·,,-l, 'eftective width et the pipe shell: ,e".~t:lj;
);:2: "'·5<1r (r;~ "a/pi 1 "'l.; writeln(l<,
alfa:"'he'h&jl,' 'ernss ....ctional Brea of ring i"cluding "ff.width: ',t2:9:1
);:J, ~ U ,,,,,,-1 ~ny) Jk2~"·"-1; "rit",ln(x,
PS i : ~ (l-ny·oy) /k1/k2/k2+"'l- t". U, 'tntal cro"s sectio""l a,ea incl, ring clist"n"", ',tt.S.li:
pcr:"'psi'E"'ha/(l-ny~"yj; i t 1l~2 1:hen pcra:~pc":i; "riteln(x,
,""itelr.~~~~ll;~;~:O, t=,:O, k:6:0, la:s:}, h&:<;1'4. alpha:12:6.p$i'10: ·,.o",ent at inerti~ ot ring incl. eft. widt.o, ,J:,Q:l);
",riteln{x,
n''''"d, 'distance from neutral "xi" to outside ring: ,no e;?I:
if (per"cp"", and 1~~a"~1j t:he,., begin plllin:-pcra, "e"d ~,,~}; aaad'~O ",riteln(x,
pera:~pcr; ""til ,.,~nend: 'distance inside pipe, ',hi 6::!1;
per,~p'u,,; "dtelnp<) ;
s",i,;.e~:"'pe,,*{ri+t)/t: writ"'11; \;r.\t"ln(x): wr.\teln(x,
jf ~",is"s>"yi t.he!', 'CritiCAl bucklin9" pres"ure: ',pcj:2:J,' Shel>r fnrc,,: ',qq'2'li;
oegin writeln (x, ' .... ,,".u ••• ".""" . . . . . . " ••• " ••• " .. * •• u~, ••• ~" •••••••••••••••
pc':~syj·t/(ri+t); ('past. .. c Duckling'; "':dteln(x,
>lr,teln(J<, 'pl",,,ti.C buckllng beUI""n "tiften",. ,.ngs " '; .. 'hoop, curvature stretch, be"ding I>nd total S1:r""s in stiff. ring:'
",r,teln( 'plastic bucklin'! bet'oleen stiff""er rings!:!: 'J; writeln(J<,
"nd; 'outGide '.,,01;~:1, so2,n,l, "oJ:11:1, sig",,,c'l1:
i( s",i".",,<syi the" begj" writeln{x,' in"id., ',sil:~", ",i2:11:1, si1:U:l, l):
",itdn('Crit,-c~l "xt. pr"ss"r" b"h",,,n rings "CCQrding to
w,it"l"(", 'crJ.tlca1 "xt. p,ess"re bet""en r,ng" accord .. ""
end' , b.. tll ~ ',bet":7:!»;
i:
:~I~:i~ ~~: :r"~i ;~;~+~ ?~l~~l=t~~ r~~~~~~~U ~f~~:E:' ~ :I> iph" ': ~,
>lrite;n['pcr ' wr.\1:eln{l<, 'a ~ ',a:7'S,' aB _ '."a,7:5, 1 ~ ',1:1'5.
"rite1n(x, 'pcr .( . . q"""".
~ ~
',ga1l';ma:7'7l;
••••• " ••••• ~~~ ,~." ••
wrHeln(x);
u *
"nd,
;, ••••••••••••• ~ ••• i
"nd'
(" •• ~ ."~" ~ •• ~. " *;, .. " * " ••••• "'H" ••••••••••••• ) beg~n (.
MAIN PROGRh."I'l
PrOCeGUre garolsa; "ss.gn (",'jACOtlt.'); re"'rite(lC); count:~01 I>lpha;~',2; );:;~kk; f::~Ee;
begi" g~""",,:~pi-I>lpt,a: ro:~(l+g"P!~r'"i"(l>lph")/si,.,(beta!; i t tw",,, th.. n begin E;~Ee/(l-",y'"'Y)' k::l-O{}G; end; (~nc rings")
, :"'2.0"t".,0/3; S '~(l+sqr(1:an(alpha-bet~ii/')'l: pr"perti.", .. jacobs""", skrivl; i t t,,>o 1:hen ",is",,; cl"""(l<j,
a :~l*t",,{"lpn"-b"t")/pi; ",,,;I; "r-i1:eln{'Hor" inform"t.ion in the tile ~j ... cout.~ ');
,~ •••••• ~" ••• " ••••••• " * •• • ,,* " "•••••••••••••• ) "nd.

Water Power & Dam Construction April 1990 47