Max Height for Pipe Shims

[KevinBezanson]

All,

Simple question - are there any guidelines set forth by PIP, ASME, etc that govern max shim height underneath pipe shoes? Or is this a case-by-case evaluation dependent on forces and moments acting on the support?

Thanks!

Kevin Bezanson

 

[pennpiper]

Kevin,
(1) Is this a classroom question?
(2) Where and why do you think you might need Shims?
(3) Who (by position not by name) gave you the idea to consider using Shims?

Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results

 

[LittleInch]

I don't know of any.

Shims under shoes have a habit of falling off.... Shims under a base plate of a pump or a bolted down structure maybe.

Can you provide a photo or sketch and expand a bit on what is going on here as shims under pipe shoes is not something I've ever seen.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[KevinBezanson]

Good morning,

1. Not sure what a class room question is.
2. Sometimes we need shims for various reasons; field allowances (mostly), sloping pipe, etc
3. Why is this important?

 

[RVAmeche]

Field allowances? Tell the contractor to confirm/measure the shoe height and/or baseplate height for each support location.

Drawings typically don't call out the height of every pipe shoe, especially for sloped piping, but there's generally a note that the contractor will determine this information while constructing the pipe.

 

[XL83NL]

If the shoe is bolted to structural steel, and the shims are held by the bolted joint, I don’t see a big issue. Just dont pile up too many.

For our units I can see the benefit of shims as well. We built modular plants/systems with 99% prefab work. In such conditions, and under the right considerations, shims may work. Though we’ve never done it, as we’ve always been able to control the dimensional tolerances of our subcontracted work.