Installing pipework in concrete building. 2

[gravitate]

We have a concrete room with concrete walls, floor and ceiling around 7m high. Also there is pipework 8 inch to 56inch that is installed close to the ceiling which is then supported from the floor. How can you install this? The 8 inch is not a problem as it is stainless and can be manhandled but the larger bore poses a bit more of a problem. There is nothing to lift from and obviously no crane access. Is the only way to drill and secure embedded plates in the ceiling that can be used for lifting?

 

[BigInch]

Hydraulic cylinder lifts.

Independent events are seldomly independent.

 

[racookpe1978]

You have explicit, very large (but NOT specifically quantifiable!) loads being hung at changing angles and ever-moving positions from the chainfalls and slings as pipes, valves, valve controllers and actuators, pumps, motors, pipes supports, pipe hangers, eqpt supports, and pipe assemblies are moved around below. Hydraulic jacks that far from the floor will get in the way of construction, rigging paths, lower level construction, and all work in general. Further, long jacks like that are themselves unstable and need side bracing to avoid being pushed over or collapsing when sideway's forces hit them.

Given the many unknowns, the inexperience and (lack of) good rigging practices in the real world, and the closed nature of the room, I would be very, very reluctant to trust the internal room rigging to concrete bolts stuck in holes driled into the ceiling. Construction timing also means that the ceiling concrete is poured last, but used first, and so will have the least amount of cure time to get nearer to its final strength.

Rather, put a row of WF's against the ceiling, held by through-bolts going all the way through the concrete to the room above, then bolted up there securely with backing plates. A rolling hook can be suspended fro, the lower flange of the WF for the fastest (most economical) installation and maintenance). Use embedded bolts ONLY for the planned (designed) pipe supports where you actually can predict the final load on the supports.

To avoid "rolling" loads on the WF's, use 2x through bolts through the flanges of the WF, one on each side of the web at regular intervals. This will even loads when the rigging is pulling the WF from the side as well. Backing plates on the far side of the ceiling do cause a tripping hazard, or may interfere with a rolling surface up there for cargo or material handling, but the upper plate can be recessed slightly below a grate or metal plate if that upper surface absolutely must be kept flat.

 

[gravitate]

Hi Thanks for the answer but what is a WF? This will be a nuclear building and the concrete has not yet therefore there is a possibility to get the building structure changed still.

 

[racookpe1978]

WF is the specific designation for a specific series of wide flange structural members: Similar shapes you might recognize are I-beam, S beam, HP, etc.

A very crude description would summarize: Wide flanges have flat webs and flanges, I-beams come in comparable size ranges but have slightly sloped flanges. They come in a very wide range of depths (heights from top to bottom) and widths (distance across the flanges) and web and flange thicknesses.

Nuclear plant, eh? Congratulations.

Immediately give your structural types a heads-up that you will need multiple lift points for construction and repair in this closed room and will need more than a dozen certified rigging points in the overhead of room yyyyy capable of xxxxxxx pounds each for construction, repair, and installation of piping, equipment, pipe supports, and structural members! What YOU need to tell them is the number of pipe sections that fit through the door, and the weight of the heaviest eqpt (motor or pump most likely) and the maximum weight of the pipe sections, the weight of the probable pipe sections in terms of pounds/ft, and your (estimated ) total weight of the pipe, pipe supports, eqpt, and structural members in the room. (Then add a 25% margin).

Now, go "outside" the door into the room, and find a way to get all that weight INTO the room from the construction laydown area. Add rigging points and (hopefully) a rolling overhead rail to get the mass to the pickup point inside.

If they complain about the cost, tell them that adding multiple rigging points in this room BEFORE construction begins will cut 4 to 6 months off of the construction time of the piping in the room.

 

[racookpe1978]

When you are figuring weights for rigging, remember the construction/erection sequence: Almost always, highest first (which is why you need the rigging points FIRST so you can lift the pipe supports up to the ceiling and mount them so you can lift the pipes up so you can mount the pipes into the pipe supports so you can mount & fit up & weld up the pipes up high first so you can move the scaffolding needed for the fitup and welding/flange makeup so you can remove the scaffolding so you can start lifting the mid-point pipe hangers and pipes into place. 8<) Simple, right?

Note: NOT always largest diameter (heaviest lbs/ft) first! Highest first and foremost. Then most remote corner and longest vertical runs in the most remote corner. Largest diameter might be in the middle of the erection sequence, might be first, then other pipe, then finish the largest diameter. I'd have to see your 3D model of ALL of the pipe and eqpt and pipe supports before deciding a construction sequence.

What will happen though is that the latter pipes and small equipment will be rigged to the supports and pipes already installed, UNLESS you provide adequate certified lift points before rigging begins. If unmonitored continuously the latter pipe weigh, support weight, and steel weight will get rigged from the pipes in place - there is nothing else to fasten to! Then, each pipe support embedded bolt needs to carry its design pipe weight + its support weight + the rigging weight + the carried load at its most extreme "sideways" angle as the chainfalls are walked through the room.

Proper Rigging design carries an extreme safety factor to establish rated load capacity on the structures, and nuke plants have rated loads on many points. A competent structural engineer will apply those factors and the right pullout requirements and through-bolt designs. Let him/her d o that. You've go to make they do it FOR your piping so the piping does not become too expensive.

Some plants also post mandatory "Do Not Lift From Pipes Signs" - on operating plants. In construction?