4.

Primary Loads
The following loads shall be considered in the design of pipe rack superstructures and
foundations:

D - Dead Load
PL - Product Load
Pt - Test Load
TL - Thermal Load
W - Wind Load
E - Earthquake
O - Other Loads

The above loads are defined as follows:

4.1 Dead Load (D)

4.1.1 Dead load shall include the weight of all process equipment, pipes, valves and
accessories, electrical and lighting conduits, trays, switchgear, instrumentation,
fireproofing, insulation, structural steel plates and shapes, etc. Foundation
concrete weight along with any soil overburden shall also be considered as dead
load. All piping shall be considered empty of product load (PL) when calculating
dead load.

4.1.2 Pipe racks shall be designed for present and future dead loads. Unless stipulated
otherwise by Saudi Aramco, piping and electrical loads shall not be less than the
following:

a. A minimum pipe deck load of 23 psf (1.10 kPa) shall be used for the design of
major piperacks. This is equivalent to 8-inch (203 mm) diameter, Schedule 40
pipes spaced at 15-inch (381 mm) centers.

b. Along with the minimum pipe deck loads specified above, a concentrated load
shall be added at pipes that are larger than 12 inches (300 mm) nominal diameter
on the support. The concentrated load in pounds, PDL, shall be calculated using
the following equation:

PDL = S (WDL – PDL D)

Where:
S = Pipe support spacing (ft)
WD L = Large pipe weight per foot (plf)
pDL = Average pipe deck loading (psf)
D = Large pipe diameter (ft)

c. Single level and double level electrical cable trays shall have a minimum
uniformly distributed weight of 20 psf (0.96 kPa) and 40 psf (1.92 kPa),
respectively. The cable tray load shall be considered as dead load. Tray locations
shall be as shown on electrical drawings.
4.2 Product Load (PL)

4.2.1 Product load shall be defined as the gravity load imposed by liquid or viscous
material in piping during operation.

4.2.2 Pipe racks shall be designed for present and future product loads. Unless
stipulated otherwise by Saudi Aramco, product loads shall not be less than the
following:

a. A minimum product load of 17 psf (0.81 kPa) shall be used at each level for the
design of major piperacks. This is equivalent to 8-inch (203 mm) pipes full of
water spaced at 15-inch (381 mm) centers.

b. Along with the minimum piping product loads specified above, a concentrated
load shall be added at pipes that are at least larger than 12 inches (300 mm)
nominal diameter on the support. The concentrated load in pounds, PPL, shall be
calculated using the following equation:

PPL = S (WPL - pPL D)

Where:
S = Pipe support spacing (ft)
WPL = Large pipe product load per foot (plf)
pPL = Average product loading (psf)
D = Large pipe diameter (ft)

4.3 Test Load (Pt)

The test load shall be defined as the gravity load imposed by the liquid
(normally water) used to pressure test the piping. Large vapor lines may require
hydrotesting. If so, it may be possible to test them one at a time while the other
lines on the support are empty and thus avoid the heavy pipe support loading.
When such procedures are used, special notes should be placed on the structural
and piping drawings to specify test procedures. Small vapor lines are normally
considered filled with water.

4.4 Thermal Loads

Thermal loads shall be defined as forces caused by changes in the temperature of

piping. For pipe rack design, both friction forces (FF) and anchor forces (AF)
shall be considered. Pipe supports must be designed to resist longitudinal loads
arising from pipe thermal expansion and contraction. On the average pipe way,
the lines expand and contract varying amounts at random times. These loads are
applied to the transverse beams either through friction or through pipe anchors.
Thermal loads shall be considered as dead load and included in the appropriate
load combinations.
4.4.1 Friction Forces (FF)

Friction forces caused by hot lines sliding across a pipe support during start-up
and shut-down are assumed to be partially resisted by adjacent cold lines. The
resultant longitudinal friction force, however, shall be taken as the larger of the
following:

a. 10% of the total operating weight of all lines tributary to the support

b. 30% of the total operating weight of those lines tributary to the support, which
will expand or contract simultaneously.

The 10% of the total piping weight shall be taken as an estimated longitudinal
friction forces (FF) applied only to local supporting beams. However, an
estimated friction force equal to 5% of the total piping weight shall be cumulated
and carried into pipe rack struts, columns, braced anchor frames, and foundations.

Pipe friction loads shall not be combined with wind or seismic loads for the
design of pipe rack struts, columns, braced anchor frames, and foundations, when
there are multiple frames. During high wind or earthquake, the vibration and
deflection of the supports under load will likely relieve the friction forces.

4.4.2 Anchor Forces (AF)

Anchor forces may dictate the use of horizontal channels or horizontal bracing as
well vertical bracing at anchor bents. This should not occur too frequently since
Piping Engineering like to anchor large lines on only a few bents in a pipeway.
Anchor and guide forces and locations shall be obtained from the piping stress
analysis and piping isometric drawings.

Pipe anchor and guide forces (AF) produced from thermal expansion, internal
pressure, and surge shall be considered as dead loads. Piperacks beams, struts,
columns, braced anchor frames, and foundations shall be designed to resist actual
pipe anchor and guide loads. For local beam design consider only the top flange
as acting in horizontal bending unless the pipe anchor engages both flanges of the
beam. Anchor and pipe forces shall be obtained from the checked pipe stress
analysis computer run.

Anchor and guide loads (excluding their friction component) shall be combined
with wind or seismic loads.

4.4.3 Temperature Force (TF)

Thermal forces caused by structure expansion and contraction should be

considered in the design with the structural steel checked for temperature change.
Range of temperature change shall be in accordance with SAES-A-112. Refer to
Section 7.1.6 for requirements. Design temperature shall be defined as the
difference between the highest and lowest one day mean temperature plus the
metal temperature for the sun heating effects on structural steel which can be
estimated at about 20°C.
4.5 Wind Load (W)

4.5.1 Wind loads on all pipe, equipment, structural members, cable trays, platforms,
ladders, and other attachments to the pipe rack shall be considered in the design.
Wind pressures, wind pressure distribution, and pressure coefficients shall be
computed and applied in accordance with ASCE 7 - 95 and the Saudi Aramco
Best Practice SABP-006 "Wind Loads on Pipe racks and Open Frame
Structures".

4.5.2 The total wind load per foot on pipes, F, can be determined using the
following equation:

F = qz G Cf A (ASCE 7 - Table 6-1)

Where:

qz = 0.00256 Kz Kzt V² I (lb/ft²) (ASCE 7 - Eq. 6-1)

I = Importance Factor
V = Wind Velocity (MPH)
KZ = Exposure Coefficient
KZt = Topographic Factor (per ASCE 7 provision 6.5.5).
KZt = 1.0 for Piperacks
G = Gust Response Factor
Cf = Force Coefficient
A = Projected Area normal to wind

4.5.3 For major pipe racks, the design lateral wind load on pipes at each pipe deck
shall not be less than the wind load computed for 12-inch (300 mm) pipes at 15-
inch (381 mm) centers.

4.5.4 Longitudinal wind load on pipe racks is negligible compared to other longitudinal
forces and, therefore, can normally be disregarded.

4.5.5 For detailed wind load calculations on pipe racks, refer to criteria specified in
Saudi Aramco Best Practices SABP-006 "Wind Loads on Pipe racks and Open
Frame Structures".
4.6 Earthquake Load (E)

Earthquake loads shall be computed and applied in accordance with ASCE 7 – 95.
The earthquake loads in ASCE 7 are limit state seismic loads and this should be
taken into account when using allowable stress design methods and applying load
factors from other codes, etc.

ASCE's Guideline for Seismic Evaluation of Design of Petrochemical Facilities

shall also be used for seismic design. The Rw factors in ASCE's Seismic Guide
lines Tables 4.4 may be converted to R factors for use with ASCE 7 by dividing
by 1.4. For steel pipe rack, with an Ordinary Moment Resisting Frame, the Rw
value is 6. Therefore, the response modification factor to be used in ASCE 7 is 6
divided by 1.4 equals to R = 4.29.

Seismic zones, effective peak acceleration, effective peak velocity and site soil
coefficient shall be determined in accordance with SAES-A-112 "Meteorological
and Seismic Design Data". All plant area structures shall be considered essential
facilities.

The Importance Factor I shall be Category IV.

4.7 Other Loads (O)

Pipe racks may be subjected to loads not covered by the six categories described
above.