Pipe Stress Company is a highly-experienced, multi-discipline engineering firm that provides expert pipe stress analysis and design services for oil and gas projects. They use industry-leading software to help their clients develop code-compliant piping systems that are safe, reliable, and economically-sound. They provide design solutions for power, nuclear, chemical, offshore, and oil & gas industries.

Pipe stress analysis is the process of evaluating the stresses and displacements in a piping system to ensure it meets the codes and standards. This helps reduce the risk of failure of a piping system due to excessive loads or vibrations. Performing a pipe stress analysis can also save money and time by ensuring that the piping system is designed properly and will not require costly repairs.

The most common types of pipes used in industrial applications are steel, stainless steel, and fiberglass-reinforced epoxy (FRP). Each type of pipe has its own specific behavior that needs to be considered during the piping stress analysis process. In addition to the pipes, piping systems are comprised of fittings and valves that must be considered as well because they introduce stress concentrations in the piping system.

Sustained Stresses are the pressure and weight loads that a piping system experiences continuously throughout its life. These loads are not reversible and will cause catastrophic failure of the system if they exceed the sustained load limit specified by codes and standards. This limit is calculated by dividing the system's stress by the metal's tensile strength at its operating temperature. The result is known as the base allowable stress, Sh, and is found by using the equation: For more details please visit Little P.Eng.

Bending Stress is the stress caused by bending of a pipe due to its curvature. Occasional Loads are the stress generated by occasional forces such as wind, seismic disturbances, PSV discharge, etc. Occasional stress is not reversible and can cause fatigue and failure of the piping system if it exceeds the acceptable limit. This limit is also calculated by dividing the total stress by the pipe's ductility at its metal tensile strength at its operating temperature.

Torsion Stress is the stress generated by the rotational moment around a pipe's axis and is caused by body forces. The effects of torsion on a piping system are not considered by most piping codes because the piping will usually fail in bending before it fails in torsion.

The primary responsibilities of a pipe stress engineer are to review and verify the routed stresses that the piping designer/designer or Engineer (Layout) has specified. They also review the equipment, equipment nozzles, and structure load reactions that the piping system will impose on these structures. They must select and specify stress-related products like expansion joints, variable and constant spring hangers, snubbers, and struts to keep these loads within the code allowed limits. They must also prepare stress isometrics and stress reports to demonstrate that the piping system is designed to be code compliant. They must also understand the project schedule and manage scope, budgets, and schedule overruns.