Pressure Vessel Seismic/earthquke design

[KevinNZ]

Hi

What is good guide for designing pressure ASME vessels for earthquake loads? For piping we have B31E but is there a similar code for vessels?

ASME BPVC 1 mentions Earthquake just once.

 

[MJCronin]

Here is a good paper to begin with:

http://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/14_06-0057.PDF

Another good discussion using the Bednar methodology is here:

http://www.boardmaninc.com/news.html/2017/08/03/volume-xviii-asme-pressure-vessels/

(Please also note the references at the bottom of the page)

Please note that, IMHO a simplified static analysis will be adequate for the vast majority of pressure vessels.

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[JStephen]

Typically, IBC building codes will reference ASCE 7 in one of it's incarnations (see the building code, chapter 35, to determine which). ASCE 7 will get you the total seismic load, but won't necessarily tell you how to apply it to the vessel. Vessels are "non-building structures not similar to buildings", usually.

 

[KevinNZ]

Thanks MJ and JS.

Not all vessels are in USA and ASCE does not apply. Calculation of the EQ load static acceleration we can local EQ codes.

We are looking for guidelines of how to correctly combine the EQ reactions with other loads and what stress category this combination is. ASME 1 is very brief on this, ASME VIII has more detail. Are the combinations and allowable stresses the same for the vessel shell and nozzle loads?

 

[Geoff13]

The ASME codes are allowable stress, however many building codes now calculate ultimate strength seismic. If your local code does this then the ultimate strength seismic should be factored down so your vessel isn't overdesigned for seismic. ASCE 7 clause 2.4.1 uses a factor of 0.7 to do this for their seismic

Not familiar with ASME 1 so I can't help with that question.

 

[chicopee]

I am not aware of seismic guidelines for the construction of fired and unfired pressure vessels but there will be guidelines for the supporting structures of these vessels and for the piping connected to such vessels. Take a look at API 650, 11 edition, Appendix E as there is seismic guidelines for vertical storage tanks and that Appendix E a bit more complicated than the second paper in MJCronin's reply . That second paper by MJC is also presented in the Pressure Vessel Design handbook by Bednar which is for tall vessel and I surmise can be adapted to multi story power plants. I suspect that if ASME adopts seismic guidelines it will follow a parallel line to API 650, Appendix E.

 

[r6155]

KevinNZ
See Pressure Vessel Design Manual 4th ed., by D. Moss

chicopee
API 650 12th edition Addendum 3 2018 is the actual ed.

Regards