11 most important questions & answers from ASME B 31.

3
which a Piping stress engineer must know
ASME B 31.3 is the bible of process piping engineering and every piping engineer should frequently use
this code for his knowledge enhancement. But to study a code similar to B 31.3 is time consuming and also
difficult because the contents are not at all interesting. Also every now and then it will say to refer to some
other point of the code which will irritate you. But still every piping engineer should learn few basic points
from it. The following literature will try to point out 11 basic and useful points from the code about which
every piping engineer must be aware.

1. What is the scope of ASME B 31.3? What does it covers and what does not?

Ans: Refer to the ASME B 31.3-Process Piping section from my earlier post.
Link: http://www.whatispiping.com/?p=44
Alternatively refer the below attached figure ( Figure 300.1.1 from code ASME B 31.3)

2. What are the disturbing parameters against which the piping system must be designed?
Ans: The piping system must stand strong (should not fail) against the following major effects:

 Design Pressure and Temperature: Each component thickness must be sufficient to withstand most
severe combination of temperature and pressure.
 Ambient effects like pressure reduction due to cooling, fluid expansion effect, possibility of moisture
condensation and build up of ice due to atmospheric icing, low ambient temperature etc.
 Dynamic effects like impact force due to external or internal unexpected conditions, Wind force,
Earthquake force, Vibration and discharge (Relief valve) reaction forces, cyclic effects etc.
 Component self weight including insulation, rigid body weights along with the medium it transport.
 Thermal expansion and contraction effects due to resistance from free displacement or due to
thermal gradients (thermal bowing effect) etc.
 Movement of pipe supports or connected equipments etc.

3. How to calculate the allowable stress for a carbon steel pipe?

Ans: The material allowable stress for any material other than bolting material, cast iron and malleable iron
are the minimum of the following:

1. one-third of tensile strength at maximum temperature.

2. two-thirds of yield strength at maximum temperature.
3. for austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloys having similar stress–strain behavior, the lower of
two thirds of yield strength and 90% of yield strength at temperature.
4. 100% of the average stress for a creep rate of 0.01% per 1 000 h
5. 67% of the average stress for rupture at the end of 100 000 h
6. 80% of the minimum stress for rupture at the end of 100 000 h
7. for structural grade materials, the basic allowable stress shall be 0.92 times the lowest value
determined (1) through (6) above.

4. What is the allowable for Sustained, Occasional and Expansion Stress as per ASME B 31.3?
Ans: Calculated sustained stress (SL)< Sh (Basic allowable stress at maximum temperature)
Calculated occasional stress including sustained stress< 1.33 Sh
Calculated expansion stress< SA = f [ 1.25( Sc + Sh) − SL]
Here f =stress range factor, Sc =basic allowable stress at minimum metal temperature and SL=calculated
sustained stress. The sustained stress (SL) is calculated using the following code formulas:

Here,
Ii = sustained in-plane moment index. In the absence of more applicable data, Ii is taken asthe greater of
0.75ii or 1.00.
Io = sustained out-plane moment index. In the absence of more applicable data, Io is taken as the greater
of 0.75io or 1.00.
Mi = in-plane moment due to sustained loads, e.g.,pressure and weight
Mo = out-plane moment due to sustained loads, e.g.,pressure and weight
Z = sustained section modulus
It = sustained torsional moment index. In the absence of more applicable data, It is taken
as 1.00.
Mt = torsional moment due to sustained loads, e.g.,pressure and weight
Ap = cross-sectional area of the pipe, considering nominal pipe dimensions less allowances;
Fa = longitudinal force due to sustained loads, e.g.,pressure and weight
Ia = sustained longitudinal force index. In the absence of more applicable data, Ia is taken as 1.00.
5. What are steps for calculating the pipe thickness for a 10 inch carbon steel (A 106-Grade B) pipe
carrying a fluid with design pressure 15 bar and design temperatre of 250 degree centigrade?
Ans: The pipe thickness (t) for internal design pressure (P) is calculated from the following equation.

Here, D=Outside diameter of pipe, obtain the diameter from pipe manufacturer standard.
S=stress value at design temperature from code Table A-1
E=quality factor from code Table A-1A or A-1B
W=weld joint strength reduction factor from code
Y=coefficient from code Table 304.1.1
Using the above formula calculate the pressure design thickness, t.
Now add the sum of the mechanical allowances (thread or groove depth) plus corrosion and erosion
allowances if any with t to get minimum required thickness, tm.
Next add the mill tolerance with this value to get calculated pipe thickness. For seamless pipe the mill
tolerance is 12.5% under tolerance. So calculated pipe thickness will be tm/(1-0.125)=tm/0.875.
Now accept the available pipe thickness (based on next nearest higher pipe schedule) just higher than the
calculated value from manufacturer standard thickness tables.
6. How many types of fluid services are available for process piping?
Ans: In process piping industry following fluid services are available..

 Category D Fluid Service: nonflammable, nontoxic, and not damaging to human tissues, the
design pressure does not exceed 150 psig, the design temperature is from -20 degree F to 366
degree F.
 Category M Fluid Service: a fluid service in which the potential for personnel exposure is judged
to be significant and in which a single exposure to a very small quantity of a toxic fluid, caused by
leakage, can produce serious irreversible harm to persons on breathing or bodily contact, even
when prompt restorative measures are taken.
 Elavated Temperature Fluid service: a fluid service in which the piping metal temperature is
sustained equal to or greater than Tcr (Tcr=temperature 25°C (50°F) below the temperature
identifying the start of time-dependent properties).
 Normal Fluid Service: a fluid service pertaining to most piping covered by this Code, i.e., not
subject to the rules for Category D, Category M, Elevated Temperature, High Pressure, or High
Purity Fluid Service.
 High Pressure Fluid Service: a fluid service for which the owner specifies the use of Chapter IX
for piping design and construction. High pressure is considered herein to be pressure in excess of
that allowed by the ASME B16.5 Class 2500 rating for the specified design temperature and
material group.
 High Purity Fluid Service: a fluid service that requires alternative methods of fabrication,
inspection, examination, and testing not covered elsewhere in the Code, with the intent to produce
a controlled level of cleanness. The term thus applies to piping systems defined for other purposes
as high purity, ultra high purity, hygienic, or aseptic.

7. What do you mean by the term SIF?

Ans: The stress intensification factor or SIF is an intensifier of bending or torsional stress local to a piping
component such as tees, elbows and has a value great than or equal to 1.0. Its value depends on
component geometry. Code B 31.3 Appendix D (shown in below figure) provides formulas to calculate the
SIF values.
8. When do you feel that a piping system is not required formal stress analysis?
Ans: Formal pipe stress analysis will not be required if any of the following 3 mentioned criteria are satisfied:

1. if the system duplicates, or replaces without significant change, a system operating with a
successful service record (operating successfully for more than 10 years without major failure).
2. if the system can readily be judged adequate by comparison with previously analyzed systems.
3. if the system is of uniform size, has no more than two points of fixation, no intermediate restraints,
and falls within the limitations of empirical equation mentioned below:

Here,
D = outside diameter of pipe, mm (in.)
Ea = reference modulus of elasticity at 21°C (70°F),MPa (ksi)
K1 = 208 000 SA/Ea, (mm/m)2 = 30 SA/Ea, (in./ft)2
L = developed length of piping between anchors,m (ft)
SA = allowable displacement stress range
U = anchor distance, straight line between anchors,m (ft)
y = resultant of total displacement strains, mm (in.), to be absorbed by the piping system
9. How will you calculate the displacement (Expansion) stress range for a piping system?
Ans: Expansion stress range (SE) for a complex piping system is normally calculated using softwares like
Caesar II or AutoPipe. However, the same can be calculated using the following code equations:

here
Ap = cross-sectional area of pipe
Fa = range of axial forces due to displacement strains between any two conditions being evaluated
ia = axial stress intensification factor. In the absence of more applicable data, ia p 1.0 for elbows, pipe
bends, and miter bends (single, closely spaced, and widely spaced), and ia =io (or i when listed) in Appendix
D for other components;
it = torsional stress intensification factor. In the absence of more applicable data, it=1.0;
Mt = torsional moment
Sa = axial stress range due to displacement strains= iaXFa/Ap
Sb = resultant bending stress
St = torsional stress= itXMt/2Z
Z = section modulus of pipe
ii = in-plane stress intensification factor from Appendix D
io = out-plane stress intensification factor from Appendix D
Mi = in-plane bending moment
Mo = out-plane bending moment
Sb = resultant bending stress
10. What do you mean by the term “Cold Spring”?
Ans: Cold spring is the intentional initial deformation applied to a piping system during assembly to produce
a desired initial displacement and stress. Cold spring is beneficial in that it serves to balance the magnitude
of stress under initial and extreme displacement conditions.
When cold spring is properly applied there is less likelihood of overstrain during initial operation; hence, it
is recommended especially for piping materials of limited ductility. There is also less deviation from as
installed dimensions during initial operation, so that hangers will not be displaced as far from their original
settings.
However now a days most of the EPC organizations does not prefer the use of Cold Spring while analysis
any system.

11. How to decide whether Reinforcement is required for a piping branch connection or not?
Ans: When a branch connection is made in any parent pipe the pipe connection is weakened by the opening
that is made in it. So it is required that the wall thickness after the opening must be sufficiently in excess of
the required thickness to sustain the pressure. This requirement is checked by calculating the required
reinforcement area (A1) and available reinforcement area (A2+A3+A4) and if available area is more than
the required area then no reinforcement is required. Otherwise additional reinforcement need to be added.
The equations for calculating the required and available area are listed below for your information from the
code. Please refer the code for notations used:
BASICS OF PIPE STRESS ANALYSIS: A PRESENTATION-
BASICS OF PIPE STRESS ANALYSIS: A PRESENTATION
Contents

 Objectives of Pipe Stress Analysis

 Governing Codes and Standards
 Stresses in a Piping System
 Reducing Piping Stresses
 Basic Allowable Stress
 Loads on a Piping System
 Work Flow Diagram
 Stress Criticality & Analysis Method
 Piping Stress Analysis using Software Caesar II
 Type of Supports
 Questionnaire
Objectives of Pipe Stress Analysis:
Structural Integrity:

 Design adequacy for the pressure of the carrying fluid.

 Failure against various loading in the life cycle . Limiting stresses below code allowable.

Operational Integrity:

 Limiting nozzle loads of the connected equipment within allowable values.

 Avoiding leakage at joints.
 Limiting sagging & displacement within allowable values.

Optimal Design:

 Avoiding excessive flexibility and also high loads on supporting structures. Aim towards an
optimal design for both piping and structure.

Governing Codes and Standards:

 Codes and Standards specify minimum requirements for safe design and construction (i. e.
provides material, design, fabrication, installation and inspection requirements.)
 Following are the codes and standards used for Refinery Piping:

1. ASME B31.3: Process piping Code

2. ASME B31.1: Power Piping Code
3. Centrifugal Pumps: API 610
4. Positive Displacement Pumps: API 676
5. Centrifugal Compressors: API 617
6. Reciprocating Compressors: API 618
7. Steam Turbines: NEMA SM23/ API 612
8. Air Cooled Heat Exchanger: API 661
9. Fired Heaters: API 560
10. Flat Bottom Welded Storage Tanks: API 650
11. Heat Exchangers: TEMA/ Vendor Specific.
12. Vessel/Column: Vendor Specific

Stresses in a Piping System:

 Sources for generation of stress in a Piping System:

1. Weight
2. Internal/External Pressure
3. Temperature change
4. Occasional Loads due to wind, seismic disturbances, PSV discharge etc.
5. Forces due to Vibration.

 Sustained Stresses are the stresses generated by sustained loads. (e.g. Pressure , Weight).
These loads are present continuously throughout plant life.
 Resistive force arising out of sustained stresses balance the external forces keeping the system
in equilibrium. Exceeding sustain allowable stress value causes catastrophic failure of the
system.
 As per ASME B 31.3, (clause 302.3.5) “ The sum of the longitudinal stresses, SL, in any
component in a piping system, due to sustained loads such as pressure and weight, shall not
exceed the product Sh x W ”. Where, Sh=Basic allowable stress at maximum metal temperature
expected during the displacement cycle and W=weld joint strength reduction factor.
 Pressure Stresses are taken care of by calculating and selecting proper pipe thickness. The
pressure thickness (t) of a straight pipe can be obtained as per ASME B31.3 from the equation
(Clause 304.1.2) mentioned in Fig.1:

Fig. 1: Equation for Thickness Calculation for Straight Pipe based on ASME B 31.3

 Change in length of a pipe of length L due to temp change (ΔT) is given by ΔL=L α ΔT Here, α
=Co efficient of thermal expansion = change in length of unit length element due to unit change in
temp.
 Two “α” values in Code (Table C1 and C3 in ASME B31.3 Appendix C):
 Table C1 denotes total linear thermal expansion between 700 F to Indicated temp (unit=in/100ft).
 Table C3 denotes mean coefficient of linear thermal expansion between 700 F to indicated temp
(μin/in/0F).
 Expansion stresses are generated when the free thermal growth due to temperature change is
restricted. These are self limiting or relenting.
 SIF( Stress Intensification Factor): This is the ratio of the maximum stress intensity to the nominal
Stress. SIF factors for different components can be obtained from Appendix D of ASME B31.3.
 Displacement Stress Range due to thermal expansion is calculated based on equation SE = (
Sb^2+4 St^2)^0.5 per equation 17 from ASME B31.3( clause 319.4.4).
 This SE value shall not exceed SA value where SA= Allowable Displacement Stress Range.
 As per ASME code B 31.3 (Clause 302.3.5) the allowable displacement stress range (SA) can be
given by the equation (Fig.2):
 Fig.2: Equation for Displacement Stress Range Allowable
Here, f= Stress range reduction factor and Sc=basic allowable stress at minimum metal temp

 When Sh > SL , the allowable stress range is calculated by the following equation (Fig. 3):
SL=Longitudinal Stress due to sustained loads.

Fig.3: Equation for Liberal Displacement Stress Range Allowable

 Occasional Stresses are generated by the occasional loads such as Wind, seismic, PSV
discharge etc.
 This loads act in a piping system for very small period of time, usually less than 10% of total
working period.
 As per ASME B31.3 clause 302.3.6 “The sum of the longitudinal stresses, SL, due to sustained
loads, such as pressure and weight, and of the stresses produced by occasional loads, such as
wind or earthquake should be ≤ 1.33 times the basic allowable stress, Sh”
 Code does not explicitly explain the stresses generated due to vibration.
 The vibration problems are solved by engineering judgment and experience.

Reducing Piping stresses:

 Supports for Weight

 Flexibility for thermal loading Eg. Expansion Loops.

Flexibility check (as per clause 319.4.1, ASME B 31.3): Refer Fig. 4

Fig.4: Flexibility Check Equation for Simple Systems

Basic Allowable Stress:
Minimum of (As per ASME B 31.3)

1. 1/3rd of Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of Material at operating temperature.

2. 1/3rd of UTS of material at room temperature.
3. 2/3rd of Yield Tensile Strength (YTS) of material at operating temperature.
4. 2/3rd of YTS of material at room temp.
5. 100% of average stress for a creep rate of 0.01% per 1000 hr.
6. For structural grade materials basic allowable stress=0.92 times the lowest value obtained from 1
through 5 above.

Loads on a Piping System:

There are two types of loads which acts on a piping system: Static loads and Dynamic Loads

Fig.1: Examples of Static Loads

Static loads are those loads which acts very slowly and the system gets enough time to react against it.
Examples of static loads are shown in Fig.1
 Fig.2: Examples of Dynamic Loads
On the other hand dynamic loads acts so quickly that the system does not get enough time to react
against it. Examples of dynamic loads are shown in Fig.2
Work Flow Diagram:
The interaction of Piping Stress team with other disciplines in any organization are shown in Fig. 3:
 Fig.3: Inter Departmental Interaction with Stress Team
Stress Criticality and Analysis Methods:

  Highly Critical Lines (Steam turbine, Compressor connected pipelines): By Computer Analysis
  Moderately Critical Lines (AFC connected lines): By Computer Analysis
  Low critical Lines : Visual/Simple Manual Calculation/Computer analysis and
  Non Critical Lines: Visual Inspection

Stress Analysis using Caesar II :

Inputs:

 Stress Isometric from Layout Group

 LDT And P&ID from Process
 Equipment GA and Other detailed drawings from Mechanical
 Process flow diagram/datasheet if required from process
 Piping Material Specification
 PSV/ Control Valve GA and Datasheet from Instrumentation
 Soil Characteristics from civil for underground analysis
 Nozzle load limiting Standards
 Plot Plan for finding HPP elevation and equipment orientation.
 Governing Code

Analysis:
  Checking the completeness of the piping system received as a stress package.
 Node numbering on stress Iso.
 Filling the design parameters (Design temp, pressure, Ope. Temp, Min. Temp, Fluid density,
Material, Line Size and
thickness, Insulation thk and density, Corrosion allowance etc) on stress Iso.
 Modeling the piping system in Caesar using parameters from stress Iso.
 Analyzing the system and obtaining results.

Conclusion & Recommendation : Whether to accept the system or to suggest necessary changes in
layout and supporting to make the system acceptable as per standard requirements.
Output:

  Final marked up Iso’s to Layout

  Support Loads to Civil
  Spring Hanger Datasheets.
  Datasheets for Special Supports like Sway brace, Struts, Snubbers etc.
  SPS drawings
  Stress Package final documentation for records

Type of Supports:

 Rest
 Guide
 Line Stop
 Anchor
 Variable Spring Hanger
 Constant Spring Hanger
 Rigid Hanger
 Struts
 Snubbers
 Sway Braces etc

A short article on “Expansion Loop” on piping system

All piping engineers are well acquainted with expansion loops (Fig 1). These are mainly required in piping
system design to

 Reduce system stress and

 Limit thermal displacements

Fig 1 shows typical loops used in piping system.

 Fig. 1: Typical Expansion loops

 Loops provide the necessary leg of piping in a perpendicular direction to absorb the thermal
expansion. They are safe when compared with expansion joints but take more space.
 Load due to axial expansion causes bending stresses to be developed, increasing upwards in the
vertical pipes and becoming a maximum at the loop elbows.
 That bending moment stays at that maximum bending moment level for the entire length of the
top horizontal pipe until it gets to the next elbow and starts’ reducing until it reaches the bottom
pipe on the other side of the loop.
 As the loop gets higher, both axial resultant stress in the horizontal pipes and the bending
moments in the loop are reduced.

Expansion loops are categorized in different styles:

Symmetric loop vs Nonsymmetric loop (Fig. 2):
Ideally loops shall be located centered between anchors with equal legs on either side of anchor.
Symmetrical loops are advantageous to absorb the equal amount of expansion from both directions.
When this isn’t practical make legs on either side of anchor as equal as possible.
Friction Forces are determined by the number of pipe supports a line crosser. By making these legs
equal, the forces at the anchor should remain nearly balanced.

Fig. 2: Symmetric and non-symmetric loops

2-D vs 3-D Loops (Fig. 3): Loops may be 2-D or 3-D types. Normally for steam lines, flare lines,
condensate lines etc 2-D loops are preferred. Otherwise 3-D loop can be provided.

Fig. 3: 2-D vs 3-D Loops.

Multiple Loops (Fig. 4):
More than one loop may be required when:

1. It is impossible to make branch connections flexible enough.

2. Spacing between branches and neighboring lines or steel is limited.
3. When loop becomes too large to support or fit into space available.
4. Anchor forces become too unbalanced and steel cannot be economically braced.
 5. More than one loop may be required when, the forces required to bend the loop are too great,
and the anchors cannot be economically reinforced.

Fig. 4: Multiple Expansion loops in a piping system

Placing Expansion Loops/ Expansion Loop Placements:

1. Loop width should always be based on utilizing existing supports.

2. Thermal expansion must be allowed for when spacing adjacent loops.
3. Loop width does not have to be near 20 feet just because the loop nomographs happen to use
that number. Loop width has only secondary effect on results.
4. Minimum loop height depends on the berthing of the line with respect to the location of the loop
support.
5. Loops cannot extend too far beyond an existing support or the overhang will cause the loop to
“loose its balance.” This sets the maximum allowable loop height.
6. The first two points have more influence on loop design than stress formulas, from the piping
point of view.
7. Three dimensional loops are widely used because this arrangement does not block the routing of
low temperature lines under the loop.
8. Vertical loops are placed at road crossings and sometimes are nonsymmetrically located due to
the location of the road

Method for Sizing Pipe way Loops:

1. Anchor lines near their center to determine which lines require loops by checking the allowable
expansion at each end of the run. If each end will absorb the resulting expansion, no loop is
required, usually. If the line spacing cannot be adjusted to take the movement, a loop is required.
2. Determine which of the lines requiring loops need the largest loop, second largest, etc., by the
following:

 Multiply the total expansion of each line between its proposed anchors by the pipe’s moment of
inertia (E). (The stiffness of a line is measured by its “Moment of inertia.”)
 The line with the largest of these calculated numbers will require the largest loop, the next smaller
number, the next smaller loop, etc.
 The above rule does not check stress. This is checked after the loops are roughly dimensioned.

3. Fit the loops between two pipe supports using minimum spacing plus allowance for line
expansion and bowing. Make the loops as wide as possible, but keep the height to a minimum. If
stress or force is extremely high, check with stress engineer for height of loop.
4. Send finished pipeway to stress for accurate calculation of anchor forces for transmittal to
Structural and accurate evaluation of stresses in the piping.
Step by Step Methods for WRC 107 and WRC 297 Checking
in Caesar II
Introduction:
Whenever Pressure Vessel or Heat exchanger (Static Equipments) nozzle loads exceeds the allowable
values provided by Vendors (Equipment manufacturer) or standard project specific tables (guidelines), the
piping stress professional is permitted to use WRC 107/297 (or any other FEA) to check the stresses at the
Nozzle-Shell junction point and check the stresses with allowable values provided by Codes. If the stresses
are found to be within allowable limit then the load and moment values can be accepted without any
hesitation.
However there are some boundary conditions which must be met before using WRC. This small write up
will try to explain the required details for performing WRC 107 and WRC 297 using Caesar II and step by
step method for performing WRC check.
Both WRC 107 and WRC 297 deal with “local” stress states in the vicinity of an attachment to a vessel or
pipe. As indicated by their titles, WRC-107 can be used for attachments to both spherical and cylindrical
shells while WRC-297 only addresses cylinder to cylinder connections. While both bulletins are used for
nozzle connection. WRC-107 is based on un-penetrated shell, while WRC-297 assumes a circular opening
in vessel. Furthermore, WRC-107 defines values for solid and hollow attachments of either round and
rectangular shape for spherical shells but drops the solid/hollow distinction for attachments to cylindrical
shells. WRC-297, on the other hand, is intended only for cylindrical nozzles attached to cylindrical shells.
Boundary condition for using WRC 107:
To determine whether WRC 107 bulletin can be used for local stress checking the following geometry
guidelines must be met:

 d/D<0.33
 Dm/T=(D-T)/T>50 (Here, T=Vessel Thickness, Dm=mean diameter of vessel)

Boundary condition for using WRC 297:

To determine whether WRC 107 bulletin can be used for local stress checking the following geometry
guidelines must be met:
1. d/D<=0.5
2. d/t>=20 and d/t<=100 (Here t=nozzle thickness)
3. D/T>=20 and D/T<=2500
4. d/T>=5
5. Nozzle must be isolated (it may not be close to a discontinuity) – not within 2√(DT) on vessel and not
within 2√(dt) on nozzle
Difference between WRC 107 and 297:
The major differences other than the boundary conditions mentioned above are listed below:
1. WRC 107 calculates only the vessel stresses while WRC 297 calculates Vessel stresses along with
nozzle stresses.
2. WRC 297 is applicable only for normally (perpendicular) intersecting two cylindrical shells whereas
WRC 107 is applicable for cylindrical as well as spherical shells of any intersection.
3. The attachments for WRC 297 checking must be hollow but WRC 107 analyzes cylindrical or
rectangular attachments which can be rigid or hollow.
4. WRC 297 is not applicable for nozzles protruding inside the vessel (Fig 1), Tangential Nozzle (Fig 2),
Nozzle at angle (Fig 3).
5. Typically, WRC-107 is used for local stress calculations and WRC-297 is used for flexibility
calculations.


Limitations of WRC:

Other than boundary conditions mentioned above there are few more limitations as mentioned
below:

1. Neither bulletin considers shell reinforcement nor do they address stress due to pressure.

2. CAESAR II ,PVElite & CodeCalc will not extrapolate data from the charts when geometric
limitations mentioned above are exceeded. Extrapolated data may not be appropriate.

Inputs required for performing WRC checking:

The following documents must be ready with you before you start to perform WRC 107/297
checking:

1. Equipment Details/ General Arrangement Drawing

2. Nozzle details

3. Line list

Step by Step methods for performing WRC 107/ WRC 297 calculation in Caesar II:

Step 1: Perform Static analysis of the stress system and find out the nozzle loads required for
checking local stresses.

Step 2: Enter into the WRC module from Caesar II. Provide a file name for your job
Step 3: Following screen will appear. Enter the Nozzle data as mentioned below:
Step 4: Now enter the vessel details i.e, diameter, wall thickness, corrosion allowance and material.
Step 5: Input vessel and Nozzle direction cosines, Internal design pressure and load and moments
values from Caesar static analysis output (Sustained, Expansion and occasional as applicable).
Step 6: On options it is suggested not to change any parameter. Now click on analysis to read the
results. The output will inform you whether WRC checking is passing or failing. Use results as per
your requirement.
For entering loads and moments as per local convention following description and figure can be
used for converting global forces into local forces:
As shown in fig, Stretch your right hand with Middle finger along the Vessel Centerline. Index Finger
should parallel to nozzle centerline and should point in a direction from nozzle towards entering
vessel. And Thumb should be perpendicular to both. Then

1.Direction of Index Finger represents +P.

2.Direction of Middle Finger represents +VL
3.Direction of Thumb represents +VC
4.ML will be positive if by applying right hand thumb rule to ML, direction of thumb is same as that
of VC.
5.MC will be positive if by applying right hand thumb rule to MC, direction of thumb is opposite to
direction of VL.
6.MT will be positive if by applying right hand thumb rule to MT, direction of thumb is opposite to
direction of P.Get the loads and moments from CAESAR output. Compare the direction of Forces
and Moments in CAESAR output with conventional Force and Moment directions and enter the
values of P, VL, VC, MT, MC and ML accordingly.