Class 1 Branch Flexibility: Allowed within B31.8?

[ZDawg]

Good day all! I've recently learned about the Class 1 Branch flexibility option available within CAESAR and after several examples and reading through the explanation of its applicability I had one question:
Is the class 1 branch flexibility option allowable within B31.8? I have read through B31.8 and also the explanation of the feature within CAESAR. I did not find anything stating it could not be used, but wanted to see if anyone knew anything else I was unaware of.

I do a lot of the stress analysis for my work, and over the last few months, some people have brought up that maybe we are being too conservative with our analysis. Using this new feature would be wonderful due to lost of small piping connections being labeled as "over stressed" under the normal analysis. All information is welcome and very much appreciated.

 

[richay]

You're right, there is nothing in B31.8 that prohibits the use of the Class 1 Flexibilities. However, I think a better option would be to use FEATools. The revised SIFs and Flexibilities are automatically inserted into your CAESAR II model and provide for a more accurate analysis. The justification for this is published by ASME in STP-073, and most of this is supposed to appear in the next edition of B31J.

Richard Ay
Intergraph CAS