FEA Using FE Pipe Software
SANTAMARIA ENGINEERING no longer offers Finite Element Analysis (FEA) services as of 2024 due to the change in administration at FE Pipe who eliminated our licence and changed our annual maintenance fee into a lease with a 250% increase in cost annually. Since this type of service is rarely required by our clientelle, we decided to drop the software lease.
FE/PIPE SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES:
The following is a partial list of the FE/Pipe software calculations available:
- More accurate SIF’s than the current ASME calculations available in the B31 codes.
- SIF’s on laterals. SIF’s on piping elbows (D/T > 100), as well as reinforced tees
- Accurate flexibility factors for smaller branches which can be more than 5 times higher than the code calculated flexibilities (Code is over-conservative). Also for D/T > 50.
- Stresses, SIF’s and flexibilities on trunnion/elbow (or pipe) interfaces
- Vacuum condition and reinforcement ring evaluation
- Vessel nozzle load verification, flexibilities and SIF’s (where WRC-107 cannot be used)
- Eigenvalue buckling and plasticity
- API-579 Fitness for Service Evaluation
- ASME Section III Part NH High Creep / Creep Fatigue interactions
- WRC 474 Fatigue Analysis
FE/PIPE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Fernando Santamaria carried out a four day training course at the PRG facility in Houston in October of 2015 and has the following FEA experience to date:
- Pressure vessel nozzle load calculations for Code compliance
- SIF calculations for “Y” fittings (laterals)
- SIF’s and stress calculations on elbow-pipe/trunnion interfaces.
- Verification of anchor design (detailed)