A FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

OF A FOUNDATION FOR A
RECIPROCATING
COMPRESSOR

Presented by:
Alura, John Michael
Enopeques, Kenneth
Ramos, Ma. Louise Margaret
INTRODUCTION

The LNG process consists of natural gas

production, purification and liquefaction,
ship loading, transportation and subsequent
off loading, storage, and regasification and,
ultimately, injection into gas distribution grid
or power plant.
INTRODUCTION

Very large heavy centrifugal compressors are

required in the design process for petrochemical
liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, and power plant
facilities.

In a LNG plant, it requires multiple compressor

units that contain methane, ethylene and propane
compressors for converting natural gas to LNG by
cooling the liquid temperature to - 270 OF.

The heavy compressor vibrating machines may be

supported by concrete table top pedestal and, at most
cases, by a foundation consisting of pedestal and
footing.
STATEMENT OF THE TOPIC

A reciprocating equipment, compressor, is needed to be installed

in an LNG plant. The vendor of the compressor has provided a
loading data for the equipment including its dynamic loads. The
purpose of this paper is to perform finite element analysis on the
mass concrete foundation to assess its behavior under specified
static and dynamic loads.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
SCOPE:

(1) Finite element method (FEM) analysis of the mass

concrete supporting the compressor

(2) Analysis of the behaviour of the mass concrete to certain

loads

(3) Static analysis

(4) Dynamic analysis

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
LIMITATION:

(1) Static equipment loads, friction loads, wind loads and

earthquake loads calculations

(2) Buoyancy load not included

(2) Dimensions and size of mass concrete foundation is pre-

determined by vendor.

(3) Only the analysis of the concrete supporting the compressor

will included in the model, reinforcement will be calculated using
MS Excel spreadsheet
OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of a compressor unit to the mass concrete

foundation supporting it.

To perform finite element analysis on the mass concrete

foundation to assess its behaviour under specified static and
dynamic loads.
METHODOLOGY

The analysis was carried out using the Solid Finite Element
Analysis of STAAD Pro.
METHODOLOGY

Stress analysis
Model of the Application of
Identification of and member
mass concrete by static loads on the
Parameters design of static
FEM model
analysis

Application of
dynamic loads on Time history
Modal Analysis
the STAAD analysis
model
METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN

- The researchers modelled the mass concrete foundation in STAAD.pro

- Analysis of the foundation is carried out using Finite Element Analysis
- Flexural Analysis
- Modal Analysis
- Time History Analysis
METHODOLOGY
IDENTIFICATION OF PARAMETERS

Throughout the design of the foundation, the following codes and standards
are used:

(1)National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP Vol.1 6th Edition 2010)
(2)American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318-11
METHODOLOGY
IDENTIFICATION OF PARAMETERS

CONCRETE
Characteristic Strength, fc 28 MPa
REINFORCEMENT
Yield Strength, fy 414 MPa
METHODOLOGY
IDENTIFICATION OF PARAMETERS

The allowable bearing capacities of Bored Piles that will be used in the design
of the foundation are presented below.
METHODOLOGY
OUTLINE OF FOUNDATION
METHODOLOGY
OUTLINE OF FOUNDATION
METHODOLOGY
OUTLINE OF FOUNDATION
METHODOLOGY
OUTLINE OF FOUNDATION
METHODOLOGY
MODEL OF THE MASS CONCRETE BY FEM

A typical solid block of 0.45m x 0.40m x 0.30m

(LxWxH) or 0.45m x 0.40m x 0.35m was used for the
mesh. 0.45m

0.40m
0.30m

0.35m
METHODOLOGY
MODEL OF THE MASS CONCRETE BY FEM

A total of 4479 solids were used to

create the Finite Element Model.
METHODOLOGY
MODEL OF THE MASS CONCRETE BY FEM
METHODOLOGY
MODEL OF THE MASS CONCRETE BY FEM
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS
16500
N

13000 1200 2300

Origin (0,0)

2400

3300
7650

3500

1850
2500
1750

+Vx
Xi

+Vz
+Mx

+Mz
9550 3450 2200 1300

Zi
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS

N
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS

Dead Load
RC Foundation Self weight STAAD generated
Soil Weight Calculated using unit weight of soil
Static Equipment Load Provided by vendor
Friction Load F = 0.30 * Equipment Load
Wind Load NSCP 2010
Earthquake Load NSCP 2010
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS Dead Loads
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS Dead Loads
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS Static Equipment Loads
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS Static Equipment Loads

58

5858 5859 5860 5861 5862 5863 5864 5865 5866 5867 5868
58

5869 5870

58
5872 5873 5874 5875 5876 5877 5878 5879 5880 5881 5882
METHODOLOGY
STATIC LOADS Static Equipment Loads