Calculate min thickness of steel pipe

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the minimum thickness of a steel pipe required to withstand a specific load without deformation. Participants explore various methods and considerations related to bending moments, material properties, and safety factors, focusing on the application of these calculations in a practical context.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion over the differing wall thickness calculations provided by others and their boss, seeking clarification on the correct bending moment equation and the application of yield strength.
  • Another participant suggests calculating the maximum bending moment using shear and moment diagrams or free body diagrams, and then applying the bending stress formula to determine the required section modulus based on the maximum stress and safety factor.
  • A third participant indicates that if the pipe is statically loaded, the outer diameter seems excessive for the application, proposing a wall thickness of 5 mm as potentially adequate based on stability considerations, while noting the need for further analysis of localized stresses at the supports.
  • A fourth participant outlines a step-by-step approach to determine pipe thickness, including selecting an internal diameter, checking standard sizes, determining tensile strength, and calculating burst and working pressures.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present differing views on the appropriate wall thickness, with some suggesting values as low as 3.5 mm or 5 mm, while others reference higher values of 30-60 mm. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the correct approach and calculations needed to determine the minimum thickness.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not provided complete information on all assumptions, such as the specific loading conditions and support details, which may affect the calculations. There is also a lack of consensus on the appropriate methods and parameters to use in determining the pipe thickness.

cherish
Messages
19
Reaction score
3
Yes, first to say that this's really a basic matter but I've found all around a week & still facing difficulty, hope someone has patient to help me an answer then i can go further myself :wink:

As in the attached picture, a few ones have done their calculations & showed the different wall thickness of pipe from 30~60 mm but my boss just made his hand calculation & said that we only need the wall pipe thickness from 5~10 mm.
I confuse what is the correct equation of bending moment to find the necessary thickness that the pipe would not be deformed (use safety factor ~1.5) & where to put the Min. yield strength 235 (mpa) into.
We have the OD = 210 mm, steel grade S235JRG2, total uniform load along 200mm at center from bearing mass 600 kg.
Sorry for long post, looking for a detail formula or just show me which step should i do, thanks many in advanced.
 

Attachments

  • 3.jpg
    3.jpg
    17.2 KB · Views: 1,001
Engineering news on Phys.org
I am not familiar with the metric units, so I don't have a good feel for the numbers. Nonetheless, you must first calculate the maximum bending moment at the center of the pipe with the ends free to rotate but not translate vertically. You can do this with shear and moment diagrams or with a free body diagram, using simple supports for the end conditions. Once you find maximum moment, then just apply the bending stress formula to determine the section modulus required based on the max (min) stress at the outer fibers, which is given with the appropriate safety factor applied. You can then look up (or derive) the section modulus of the pipe as a function of its thickness, and solve for t. Or ask your boss how he did it and have him show you, why is he/she keeping it a secret?:confused: Or is your boss your teacher?
 
Excellent advice by PhanthomJay.

cherish: If this pipe is statically loaded, and you are sure your dimensions and applied load values are correct in the diagram, then your OD is far larger than necessary for this application. Hence, the midspan design currently appears to be governed by stability, not global bending strength nor shear strength. Therefore, for the global midspan cross section to be stable (not including localized stresses at the supports and applied load), the pipe wall thickness would need to be 3.5 mm. Therefore, a pipe wall thickness of 5 mm perhaps sounds adequate (although I did not attempt to analyze the stress at the supports).

Therefore, I think the question becomes, how could one verify, by hand calculations, whether or not the tube is adequate to withstand the localized support loads, and the localized applied load? The support load is applied to, e.g., one half of the tube perimeter, and varies as a function of perimeter (?). However, you did not yet give us the material and thickness of the two support plates in your diagram.
 
hello, i donno if u already solved this problem,
but the way to determine the thickness of the pipe is this :
1- chose an approximate internal diameter of your own
2- check the standard pipe sizes to get the exact internal diameter that is close to the one you chose, you can get also the external diameter.
3- based on the pipe material ans system operating pressure determine the tensile strength (S) and chose a factor of safety (FS)
4-calculate the burst pressure (BP) and working pressure (WP)
where BP=(2tS/ID) t:thickness, S tensile strength, ID internal diameter
WP= BP/FS
5- an acceptable pipe size is the one that meets your requirement and has a working pressure equal or greater than the system operating pressure.

hope this will give you a hand
 

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
7K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
8K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
12K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K