D ESIGN S PECS

FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................3
Purpose................................................................................................................................................................3
Scope...................................................................................................................................................................3
References...........................................................................................................................................................3
General.....................................................................................................................................................................4
Definition of Pipe Rack.......................................................................................................................................4
[1]
Deflections........................................................................................................................................................4
[1]
Slenderness.......................................................................................................................................................4
[2]
Effective Length...............................................................................................................................................4
[3]
P-Delta Effects..................................................................................................................................................4
[4]
Primary Loads.......................................................................................................................................................5
Dead Load (D).....................................................................................................................................................5
Product Load (PL)................................................................................................................................................5
Test Load (Pt)......................................................................................................................................................6
Thermal Loads.....................................................................................................................................................6
Friction Forces (FF)............................................................................................................................................6
Anchor Forces (AF).............................................................................................................................................7
Temperature Force (TF)......................................................................................................................................7
Wind Load (W)...................................................................................................................................................7
Earthquake Load (E)...........................................................................................................................................8
Other Loads (O)...................................................................................................................................................8
[5]
Load Combinations:.............................................................................................................................................8
References:..............................................................................................................................................................9

2
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014

I NTRODUCTION
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines for steel structure (Pipe rack) design for use by
engineers working on FFBL Power Company Limited.

SCOPE
This design guide defines the minimum requirements for the design of Pipe racks. It covers general design
philosophy and requirements to be used in the analysis and design of Pipe racks. Criteria presented herein
pertain to loads, load combinations, allowable stresses, and foundation design. Section 2 of this instruction
includes reference codes.

REFERENCES
This Best Practice is based on the latest edition of the references below, unless otherwise noted. Short titles
will be used herein when appropriate. Short titles will be used herein when appropriate.

American Concrete Institution (ACI)

Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete and
ACI-318 Commentary

American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)

Specification for Structural Steel Buildings
AISC-360-05

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
ASCE-7

Saudi Aramco Best Practices (SABP)

SABP-007 Steel Pipe Rack Design

(Year: 2002)

3
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014

G ENERAL
DEFINITION OF PIPE RACK
Pipe racks include all Steel Structures existing inside the battery limit of FFBL Power Company Limited
which support interconnecting piping. This includes all supporting structures for pipes:

 which connect sub-sections to sub-sections

 which connect equipment to equipment within a sub-section

Structural steel design shall be in accordance with the referenced AISC specifications and codes. The plastic
design method in the AISC manual shall not be used in steel design. Steel for pipe rack design will normally be
A-36 or equivalent.
[1]
DEFLECTIONS
Buildings and steel structures supporting equipment shall be designed to achieve maximum possible stability.
The maximum horizontal displacement at the top of columns, under most unfavorable load combination is
limited as follows:

1/200 up to 10 m in height

1/300 up to 20 m in height

1/400 up to 30 m in height

1/450 up to 40 m in height

1/500 up to 50 m in height

Deflection of beams supporting equipment or pipes is limited to 1/500 of the span. Deflection of floors,
subjected to the worst applicable loading combination is limited to 1/350 of the minimum span.
[1]
SLENDERNESS
Maximum permissible slenderness ration:

Unbrced length
=200 for compression members∧250 for tension member s
Least Radius of Gyration
[2]
EFFECTIVE LENGTH
In frames where lateral stability is provided by the flexural stiffness of connected beams and columns, the
effective length factor K or elastic critical buckling stress, Fe, for columns and beam-columns shall be
determined as specified in section C2 of AISC 360-05.
[3]
P-DELTA EFFECTS
P-delta effects on story shears and moments, the resulting member forces and moments, and the story drifts
induced by these effects are not required to be considered where the stability coefficient (θ) as determined by
the following equation is equal to or less than 0.10:

Px ∆ I e
θ=
V x S hx Cd

4
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014
This is in accordance with ASCE Sec. 12.8.7. However this does not exempt the designer from performing
other second order stability analysis if required.

[4]
P RIMARY L OADS
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:

DEAD LOAD (D)

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.

Pipe racks shall be designed for present and future Dead Loads. Unless stipulated otherwise, piping and
electrical loads shall not be less than the following:

 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.
 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)

 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.

PRODUCT LOAD (PL)

Product load shall be defined as the gravity load imposed by liquid or viscous material in piping during
operation. Pipe racks shall be designed for present and future product loads. Unless stipulated otherwise,
product loads shall not be less than the following:

5
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014
 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.
 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)

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.

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.

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:

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

6
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014
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.

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 pipe rack. 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. Pipe racks 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.

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 and the metal temperature for the sun heating
effects on structural steel which can be estimated at about 20°C.

WIND LOAD (W)

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. 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

7
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014
A = Projected Area normal to wind

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.

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

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.

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" however alternatively plant site
data can be refrenced from GA-1001 (Plant Site Conditions). All plant area structures shall be considered
essential facilities.

OTHER LOADS (O)

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

[5]
L OAD C OMBINATIONS :
Loads listed herein shall be considered to act in the following combinations; whichever produces the most
unfavorable effect in the building, foundation, or structural member being considered. Effects of one or more
loads not acting shall be considered.

1. D
2. D + PL
3. D + (0.6W or 0.7E)
4. D + 0.75L + 0.75(0.6W)
5. D + 0.75L + 0.75(0.7E)
6. 0.6D + 0.6W
7. 0.6D + 0.7E

Note: Keep in view that Lr, S & R are non-existent in the case of Pipe rack.

The above mentioned load combinations are referenced from ASCE-07 Sec 2.4. However additionally,
following load combinations must also be checked:

8. D + PL + FF + TF + AF (if any)
9. 0.75 (0.9 D + W)
10. 0.75 (D + PL + AF + W or E)
11. 0.80 [D + Pt + (1/4 W or 1/4E)]

Load Cases (8), (9), (10), (11) are referenced from SABP-007 Sec 5.1.

8
 FFBL Power Company Limited – Structure Design Specs 2014

R EFERENCES :
[1] Design and Construction of Steel Structures – Haldor Topsoe A/S

[2]AISC-360-05 Sec C3-c

[3]ASCE-7-10 Sec 12.8.7

[4]SABP-007 Sec 4

[5]ASCE-7-10 Sec 2.4.1 & SABP-007 Sec 5.1