FEA Tools

This training seminar focuses on the latest insights into Stress Intensification Factors (SIFs), flexibility factors (k-factors), and Sustained Stress Indices (SSIs) as prescribed in the ASME B31.3 design code. Discover how to effectively implement these principles in your pipe stress analysis using FEATools. Gain an in-depth understanding of the underpinnings of recent research and explore their implications for stress assessments.

Background:

Traditionally, piping networks are modeled using beam-type approaches, with stress and flexibility calculations at discontinuities relying on empirical relationships, such as those outlined in ASME B31.3 Appendix D. While these formulas provide SIFs and flexibility factors (k’s), they come with acknowledged limitations, which can lead to either conservative or overly optimistic results depending on the situation. ASME’s Appendix D recognizes these limitations and advises engineers to seek “more applicable data” if available.

Drawing on recent analyses, research, and testing conducted by the ASME committee, particularly led by our technology partner, Paulin Research Group, this “more applicable data” is now widely accessible through ASME document STP-PT-073. This improved data is relevant for systems with large D/T ratios, sensitive or rotating equipment, cyclic operations, short or stiff thick-walled piping, or cases where the solution hinges on the SIF for a small bore connection. Implementing these updated values can yield substantially reduced stresses, potentially leading to more cost-effective designs or more realistic stress values in critical scenarios, thereby reducing the risk of failure.

FEATools, a software package developed by Paulin Research Group, integrates with CAESAR II to incorporate the “more relevant data” from STP-PT-073. The model is constructed in CAESAR II, imported into FEATools for updating SIFs and k-factors, and then exported for analysis in CAESAR II.

This intensive two-day training course empowers participants to apply the most current knowledge on SIFs and flexibility factors, offering insights into their origins, validity, and uncertainties. The course delves into the software FEATools, its interaction with CAESAR II, and provides a detailed examination of real-world case studies. Participants will become proficient in discerning the impact of the “more applicable data” statement in ASME B31.3 Appendix D on accuracy, alongside comprehending the new SIF and flexibility calculation procedures and their deviations from the standards outlined in B31.3 Appendix D