APPENDIX 3
DEFINITIONS
3-1 INTRODUCTION
This Appendix contains definitions of terms generally
used in this Division. Definitions relating to specific
applications, such as for layered vessels, may be found
in related parts of this Division.
3-2 DEFINITION OF TERMS
acceptance by the Inspector — where words such as
“acceptance by the Inspector” and /or “accepted by the
Inspector” are used in this Division, they shall be
understood to mean that the Inspector has reviewed a
subject in accordance with his duties as required by
the rules of this Division and after such review is able
to sign the Certificate of Inspection for the applicable
Manufacturer’s Data Report Form. Such words do
not imply assumption by the Inspector of any of the
responsibilities of the Manufacturer.
angle joint — a joint between two members located
in intersecting planes between 0 deg. (a butt joint) and
90 deg. (a corner joint)
basic material specification — a description of the
identifying characteristics of a material (product form,
ranges of composition, mechanical properties, methods
of production, etc.) together with the sampling, testing,
and examination procedures to be applied to production
lots of such material to verify acceptable conformance
to the intended characteristics
bolt — a threaded fastener with a head on one end
calculated test pressure — the requirements for de-
termining the test pressure based on calculations are
outlined in UG-99(c) for the hydrostatic test and in
UG-100(b) for the pneumatic test. The basis for calcu-
lated test pressure in either of these paragraphs is the
highest permissible internal pressure as determined by
the design formulas, for each element of the vessel
using nominal thicknesses with corrosion allowances
included and using the allowable stress values given
in Subpart 1 of Section II, Part D for the temperature
of the test.
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certificate of compliance — a document by which
the material manufacturer or supplier certifies that the
material represented has been produced and tested in
accordance with the requirements of the basic material
specification shown on the certificate. Signatures are
not required to appear on certificates of compliance.
Objective evidence of compliance with the requirements
of the material specification shall be maintained in the
records of the material manufacturer or supplier.
clad vessel — a vessel made from a base material
having a corrosion resistant material either integrally
bonded or weld metal overlaid to the base of less
resistant material
design pressure — the pressure used in the design of
a vessel component together with the coincident design
metal temperature, for the purpose of determining the
minimum permissible thickness or physical characteris-
tics of the different zones of the vessel. When applicable,
static head shall be added to the design pressure to
determine the thickness of any specific zone of the
vessel (see UG-21).
design temperature — see UG-20
efficiency of a welded joint — the efficiency of a
welded joint is expressed as a numerical (decimal)
quantity and is used in the design of a joint as a
multiplier of the appropriate allowable stress value
taken from the applicable table in Subpart 1 of Section
II, Part D (see UW-12)
layered vessel — a vessel having a shell and /or heads
made up of two or more separate layers
lined vessel — a vessel having a corrosion resistant
lining attached intermittently to the vessel wall
liquid penetrant examination (PT) — a method of
nondestructive examination which provides for the de-
tection of imperfections open to the surface in ferrous
and nonferrous materials which are nonporous. Typical
imperfections detectable by this method are cracks,
seams, laps, cold shuts, and laminations.
magnetic particle examination (MT) — a method of
detecting cracks and similar imperfections at or near
the surface in iron and the magnetic alloys of steel.
 3-2 APPENDIX 3 — MANDATORY
It consists of properly magnetizing the material and
applying finely divided magnetic particles which form
patterns indicating the imperfections.
material — any substance or product form which is
covered by an SA, SB, or SFA material specification
in Section II or any other material permitted by the Code
material manufacturer — the organization which per-
forms or supervises and directly controls one or more
of the operations which affect the material properties
required by the basic material specification. The material
manufacturer certifies the results of one or more of
the tests, examinations, repairs, or treatments required by
the basic material specification. When the specification
permits certain specific requirements to be completed
later, those incomplete items must be noted.
material supplier — the organization which supplies
material furnished and certified by a material manufac-
turer, but which does not perform any operation intended
to affect the material properties required by the basic
material specification. The material supplier may per-
form and certify the results of tests, examinations,
repairs, and treatments not performed by the material
manufacturer.
Material Test Report — a document, or documents, on
which are recorded the results of tests, examinations,
repairs, or treatments required by the basic material
specification to be reported. Supplementary or special
requirements in addition to the requirements of the
basic material specification may also be included on
the Material Test Report. All such documents shall
identify the applicable material specification and shall
be identified to the material represented. When preparing
a Material Test Report, a material manufacturer may
transcribe data produced by other organizations provided
he accepts responsibility for the accuracy and authentic-
ity of the data and maintains a file containing the test
report from the originator of the data. In such instances,
the material manufacturer shall identify on the Material
Test Report the source of the data and the location of
the file containing the test report from the originator
of the data. Signatures are not required to appear on
Material Test Reports. A material supplier shall not
transcribe data certified by a material manufacturer but
shall furnish a copy of that certification, supplemented
as necessary by additional documents which certify the
results of tests, examinations, repairs, or treatments
required by the basic material specification and per-
formed by the material supplier.
maximum allowable stress value — the maximum unit
stress permissible for any specified material that may
be used in the design formulas given in this Division
(see UG-23)
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maximum allowable working pressure — the maximum
gage pressure permissible at the top of a completed
vessel in its normal operating position at the designated
coincident temperature for that pressure. This pressure
is the least of the values for the internal or external
pressure to be determined by the rules of this Division
for any of the pressure boundary parts, including the
static head thereon, using nominal thicknesses exclusive
of allowances for corrosion and considering the effects
of any combination of loadings listed in UG-22 which
are likely to occur (see UG-98) at the designated
coincident temperature [see UG-20(a)]. It is the basis
for the pressure setting of the pressure relieving devices
protecting the vessel. The design pressure may be used
in all cases in which calculations are not made to
determine the value of the maximum allowable working
pressure.
membrane stress — the component of normal stress
which is uniformly distributed and equal to the average
value of stress across the thickness of the section under
consideration
normal operation — operation within the design limits
for which the vessel has been stamped. [See UG-
116(a).] Any coincident pressure and temperature during
a specific operation are permissible, provided they do
not constitute a more severe condition than that assumed
in the design of the vessel.
operating or working temperature — the temperature
that will be maintained in the metal of the part of the
vessel being considered for the specified operation of
the vessel (see UG-20 and UG-23)
operating pressure — the pressure at the top of a
vessel at which it normally operates. It shall not exceed
the maximum allowable working pressure, and it is
usually kept at a suitable level below the setting of
the pressure relieving devices to prevent their frequent
opening (see M-9).
porosity — gas pockets or voids in metal
primary stress — a stress developed by the imposed
loading which is necessary to satisfy the simple laws
of equilibrium of external and internal forces and
moments. Primary stress can be either membrane or
bending stress.
Primary membrane stress may be of two types:
general and local. A general primary membrane stress
is one which is so distributed in the structure that
no redistribution of load occurs as a result of yielding.
A local primary membrane stress is one which is
produced by pressure or other mechanical loading and
which is associated with a primary and /or discontinuity
effect.
 3-2 2001 SECTION VIII — DIVISION 1
Examples of primary stress are:
(a) general membrane stress in a circular cylinder
or a spherical shell due to internal pressure or to
distributed loads;
(b) bending stress in the central portion of a flat
head due to pressure.
radiographic examination (RT) — a method of detecting
imperfections in materials by passing X-ray or nuclear
radiation through the material and presenting their image
on a recording medium
safety valve set pressure — See ASME PTC 25
stationary pressure vessel — a pressure vessel to be
installed and operated as a fixed geographical location
stud — a threaded fastener without a head, with threads
on one end or both ends, or threaded full length
thickness of vessel wall
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(a) design thickness — the sum of the required
thickness and the corrosion allowance (see UG-25)
(b) required thickness — that computed by the formu-
las in this Division before corrosion allowance is added
(see UG-22)
(c) nominal thickness — except as defined in UW-
40(f) and modified in UW-11(g), the nominal thickness
is the thickness selected as commercially available, and
supplied to the Manufacturer. For plate material, the
nominal thickness shall be, at the Manufacturer’s option,
either the thickness shown on the Material Test Report
{or material Certificate of Compliance [UG-93(a)(1)]}
before forming, or the measured thickness of the plate
at the joint or location under consideration.
ultrasonic examination (UT) — a method for detecting
imperfections in materials by passing ultrasonic vibra-
tions (frequencies normally 1 MHz to 5 MHz) through
the material
vessel Manufacturer — any Manufacturer who con-
structs an item such as a pressure vessel, vessel compo-
nent, or part in accordance with rules of this Division
and who holds an ASME Certificate of Authorization
to apply the Code Symbol Stamp to such an item