Weldolet calculation acc. to ASME B31.3 par. 304.3.

Calculation date and initials: YYYY-MM-DD/NN

Project: EXAMPLE PROJECT

Header/branch size/sch: NN" Sch NN x NN" Sch NN

Material type: EXAMPLE MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

Relevant piping classes: XMPL01, XMPL02, XMPL03,

XMPL04

Notes: P.O. / ITEM / STOCK NO.

Most crit. temp. (case with highest utilisation): NNN°C.
Etc.
Header and branch dimensions and tolerances:
(All dimensions in spreadsheet are in mm or mm2)
Dh  610 Db  33.4 Outside diameter

TH  12.7 TB  3.05 Nom. thickness

tolh  12.5% TH  1.587 tolb  12.5% TB  0.381 Mill tolerance

c  1.5 Corrosion allowance (common value for branch and header)

Pbar  51.7 Internal pressure in barg for most critical temperature.

Note: Use zero for full header capacity (e.g. for pressure class ≥ CL600)
Sh  206.8 Allowable header stress in MPa for most critical temperature.

Sw  206.8 Allowable weldolet stress in MPa for most critical temperature.

Eh  1 Quality factor for longitudinal weld in header pipe.

Note: Will affect the calculated pressure for full header capacity.
Ew  1 Quality factor for longitudinal weld in weldolet
Note: Should always be equal to 1 for a typical weldolet (no long. weld).
W  1 Weld joint strength reduction factor for high temperatures.
Note: Normally equal to 1 for the applicable temperature range.
Y  0.4 Coefficient from B31.3 Table 304.1.1.
Note: Normally equal to 0.4 for the applicable temperature range.
β  90 deg Always 90 deg. This spreadsheet only applies to perpendicular weldolet.

Tr  0 Always zero per definition for branch connection fitting.

Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(a)
Weldolet and weld dimensions in branch & header intersection plane, in mm (ref. typical sketch):

Hweldline  7.7 Height from bottom of weldolet to weldline (bottom of cylindrical section).

Hcyl  8.3 Height of cylindrical section above weld bevel if relevant. Zero if not.

Hcone1  3 Height of first cone section above cylindrical section. Zero if flat.
(All cone heights until surface diameter matches Db must be defined)
Hcone2  4.9 Height of next cone section if relevant. Zero otherwise or if flat.

Hcone3  0 Height of next cone section if relevant. Zero otherwise or if flat.

d 1nom  30 Diameter of hole in header wall.

DO  49.5 Overall diameter of weldolet.

Dcone12  39.1 Diameter at intersection between cone 1 & 2 if relevant. Zero otherwise.

Dcone23  0 Diameter at intersection between cone 2 & 3 if relevant. Zero otherwise.

αtaper  30.deg Angle between inside bottom taper and vertical. Zero if not relevant.
(Taper assumed to reach d1nom at in-plane bottom of weldolet.)
gaproot  1.6 Size of root gap between header wall and bottom of weldolet.

Hweldolet  26 Overall weldolet height, for geometry check. Ref. B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5).

typecfw  "B31.3" Cover fillet weld type. Acceptable alternatives (keep qoutation marks):
"B31.3" for ASME B31.3 req. (45° c.f.w with tc = min(0.7TB, 6 mm) )
"TR2323" for Equinor req. (45° c.f.w. with tc = 6 mm, limited by main weld)
"ALPHA" for c.f.w always reaching top of main weld and defined by αcfw.

αcfw  45deg Angle between cover fillet weld and vertical. (only for αcfw = "ALPHA").
Note: Disregarded (assumed 45°) if typecfw = "B31.3" or "TR2323".

Warning! Using "TR2323" or "ALPHA" might exceed standard B31.3 weld requirements and
thereby affect welding procedure. See B31.3 par. 304.3.3(c)(3), par. 328.5.4(c) and Fig. 328.5.4F(b).

Th  TH  tolh  11.112 Specified minimum header wall thickness.

d b  Db  2  TB  2  tolb  28.062 Maximum branch pipe inside diameter. Tolerance for

branch pipe used through weldolet and header wall.
(Quite common even though it's normally a bit
conservative).

d 1  d 1nom  2  tolb  2  c  33.763 Effective length removed from header wall.

See description for db above regarding tolerance.
Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3.
 0.1Pbar Dh
th  if Pbar  0  7.55 Minimum required header wall

2  Sh  Eh  W  0.1Pbar Y  thickness. Ref. B31.3 eq. (3a).
Corresponds to full header
Th  c otherwise
utilisation if Pbar is set to zero.

2  Sh  Eh  W th Pressure in MPa based on th and

P   5.17 B31.3 eq. (3a) inverted.
Dh  2  Y th
Corresponds to maximum header
capacity if Pbar is set to zero.


P d b  2  c  Minimum required thickness
tb1   0.394
2  Sw Ew W  P ( 1  Y) in branch pipe and upper part of
  weldolet. Ref. B31.3 eq. (3b).

P d 1 Minimum required thickness at

tb2   0.428
2  Sw Ew W  P ( 1  Y) bottom of taper. Ref. B31.3 eq. (3b).
  (d1 already includes 2c)

Main part of bottom weld shall always reach bottom of

Hweld  gaproot  Hweldline  9.3
cylindrical section in the branch & header intersection
plane. (or first cone if cylinder height is zero)

 0.7 TB 6 
Hcfw  min   if typecfw = "B31.3" Cover fillet weld height. See
 sin( 45 deg) sin( 45 deg)  input description above and
typical sketch.
min Hweld   if type = "TR2323"
6
 cfw Ref. B31.3 Fig. 328.5.4F and
 sin( 45 deg) 
par. 328.5.4(c) plus Equinor req.
Hweld if typecfw = "ALPHA" TR2323, par. 4.7, SR-55938

Hcfw  3.019

Wcfw  Hcfw if typecfw = "B31.3"  typecfw = "TR2323" Width of cover fillet weld
outside weldolet (and main weld)

Hcfw tan αcfw  if typecfw = "ALPHA" See input description above and
typical sketch.
Wcfw  3.019

d1nom   Db  2 TB
Wtaper   1.35 Width of taper (one side).
2

Htaper  0 if αtaper = 0 Htaper  2.338 Height of taper (from

bottom of weldolet).
Wtaper
otherwise

tan αtaper 
Elevations at external edges (slope changes): Elevations at internal edges (slope changes):

ELo1  Hcfw  3.019 ELi1  gaproot  1.6

ELo2  Hweld  Hcyl  17.6 ELi2  gaproot  Htaper  3.938

ELo3  ELo2  Hcone1  20.6

ELo4  ELo3  Hcone2  25.5

ELo5  ELo4  Hcone3  25.5

Outside radius as a function of elevation y from header wall, including cover fillet weld:

DO
 Wcfw  1 
y 
Ro ( y )  if y  ELo1
2 Hcfw 
 
DO
if y  ELo1  y  ELo2
2
DO

DO  maxDcone12 Db y  ELo2 if y  ELo2  y  ELo3
2 2 Hcone1

Dcone12

Dcone12  maxDcone23 Db y  ELo3 if y  ELo3  y  ELo4
2 2 Hcone2

Dcone23

Dcone23  Db y  ELo4 if y  ELo4  y  ELo5
2 2 Hcone3

Db
if y  ELo5
2

Inside radius (maximum per specification) as a function of elevation y from header wall:

d1  2 c
Ri( y )  if y  ELi1
2
d1  2 c
 Wtaper
y  gaproot if y  ELi1  y  ELi2
2 Htaper

db
if y  ELi2
2

Thickness per specification and welding procedure specification (WPS)

at elevation y above header wall:

T( y )  Ro ( y )  Ri( y )
Elevations at all edges (internal & external slope changes) in ascending order (if ELchk = "OK"):

 
EL1  min ELi1 ELo1  1.6

EL2  min max ELi1 ELo1 ELi2  3.019

   
EL3  min max ELo1 ELi2 ELo2  3.938

  
EL4  min max ELo2 ELi2 ELo3  17.6
  
EL5  min max ELo3 ELi2 ELo4  20.6
  
EL6  min max ELo4 ELi2 ELo5  25.5
EL7  ELo5  25.5 ELchk  "OK"

T1, T2 etc. below represents local thickness of reinforcing barrel (min. per spec.) at
elevations EL1, EL2 etc. above header. Cover fillet weld is included.

T0  T( 0 )  12.388  
T3  T EL3  10.719  
T6  T EL6  2.669

 
T1  T EL1  10.788 T4  T EL4   10.719 T7  T EL7   2.669

T2  T EL2   10.188 T5  T EL5   5.519

L4_lim(t) represents the limit for L4 for an assumed thickness of the reinforcing barrel equal to t.

  
L4_lim( t)  min2.5 Th  c 2.5 ( t  c)  Tr

Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(a).

maxL4(y) finds the maximum value of L4 for a given elevation y while making sure to use the
smallest thickness at or below this elevation. Ref. B31.3 304.3.3(a): "provided that the barrel
thickness is uniform".
This means thicker parts will reach outside A3 into A4.

maxL4 ( y )   
L4_lim min T0 T( y )  if y  EL1
L4_lim min T0 T1 T( y )   if y  EL1  y  EL2

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T( y )   if y  EL2  y  EL3

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T3 T( y )   if y  EL3  y  EL4

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T( y )   if y  EL4  y  EL5

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T( y )   if y  EL5  y  EL6

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T( y )   if y  EL6  y  EL7

L4_lim min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T( y )   otherwise

Iteration of maxL4(y) finds the highest y that doesn't exceed maxL4(y), i.e. the optimal L4 value:
y  0

L4  while y  0.02  maxL4 ( y )

y  y  0.02
y

L4  18.62 Resulting value of L4 after iteration to find the balance with Tb.

Tb     if L4  EL1
min T0 T L4

min T0 T1 T L4   if L4  EL1  L4  EL2

min T0 T1 T2 T L4   if L4  EL2  L4  EL3

min T0 T1 T2 T3 T L4   if L4  EL3  L4  EL4

min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T L4   if L4  EL4  L4  EL5

min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T L4   if L4  EL5  L4  EL6

min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T L4   if L4  EL6  L4  EL7

min T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T L4   otherwise

Tb  8.951 Tb is the smallest reinforcing barrel thickness at or below L4.

Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(a): "provided that the barrel thickness is uniform".

  d 1

 
  
d 2  minDh maxd 1  Tb  c  Th  c  
  33.945
2 
"Half width" of reinforcement zone.
Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(a).

Required reinforcement.
A1  th  d 1  ( 2  sin( β) )  254.89 Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(b) eq.(6).

Reinforcing area from excess

 
A2  2  d 2  d 1  Th  th  c  70.403  thickness in header wall.
Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(c)(1) eq.(7).

Reinforcing area from excess

Tb  tb1  c  Htaper  thickness in the reinforcing barrel.
A3  2  L4 
sin( β)
 
 2 tb2  tb1   gaproot 
2


Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(c)(2) eq.(8).
Term added to compensate for
increasing tb down the tapered part
A3  262.596 (assumes L4 above top of taper).

 Sw 
A3adj  A3  min 1    262.596 Ref B31.3 par. 304.3.3(f)(3) and (4).
 Sh 
A4 is the sum of all material outside Tb (and thereby A3) for all elevation segments within L4:

   T0  T max 0 min EL1 L4     

  
A41  2   max 0 min EL1 L4

  0  2
 Tb  8.44


   T1  T max EL1 min EL2 L4     

 
A42  2   max EL1 min EL2 L4

   EL1  2
 Tb  4.364


   T2  T max EL2 min EL3 L4     

 
A43  2   max EL2 min EL3 L4

   EL2  2
 Tb  2.762


   T3  T max EL3 min EL4 L4     

 
A44  2   max EL3 min EL4 L4

   EL3  2
 Tb  48.308


   T4  T max EL4 min EL5 L4     

 
A45  2   max EL4 min EL5 L4

   EL4  2
 Tb  1.803


   T5  T max EL5 min EL6 L4     

 
A46  2   max EL5 min EL6 L4

   EL5  2
 Tb  0


   T6  T max EL6 min EL7 L4     

 
A47  2   max EL6 min EL7 L4

   EL6  2
 Tb  0


   T7  T max EL7 min ∞L4     

 
A48  2   max EL7 min ∞L4

   EL7  2
 Tb  0

If cover fillet weld exceeds d2, the relevant part of it must be subtracted:

DO
A49  0 if  Wcfw  d 2 0
2
2
 DO 
  Wcfw  d 2 DO
 2  if  Wcfw  d 2  typecfw = "ALPHA"
tan αcfw  2

2
 DO 
  Wcfw  d 2 otherwise
 2 

Total sum of A4 reinforcing material (outside A3 and below L4 with potential correction for small d2):


A4  A41  A42  A43  A44  A45  A46  A47  A48  A49  65.677 

 Sw 
A4adj  A4  min 1    65.677 Ref B31.3 par. 304.3.3(f)(3) and (4).
 Sh 
General check for various potential problems with the overall thickness of the weldolet:
THKchk  "OK"

Top geometry check (stress concentration in weld, ref. B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5) and B16.25 Fig. 1):
Rchk  "OK"

αchk  "OK"

Result summary:
A1  254.9 A2  70.4 A3adj  262.6 A4adj  65.7 A2  A3adj  A4adj  398.676

A2  A3adj  A4adj
Reinforcement factor:  156.4  % Ref. B31.3 par. 304.3.3(c) eq.(6a)
A1 considering par. 304.3.3(f)(3) and (4).

Graph below shows header wall on the left side with outer surface at zero on the horizontal axis.
Weldolet points to the right with branch centre line is at zero on the vertical axis. Only one side
shown, and tb and th are placed close to the inside (just outside to cb and ch respectively).

d2
d2
outer surface
40
Rog( y) Tb extent
Rig( y)  Tbg( y) tb extent
corr. extent
Rig( y)  c tb( y) tol. extent
Ri( y)  c inner surface
L4
Ri( y)
th extent
Ri( y)  tolb
Dh
20 corr. extent
L4g( y)
tol. extent
thg( y)
IDh
Dhg( y) CLb

chg( y)

tolhg( y)

IDh( y)
0
0

0 20 40
y
From ASME B31.3, par. 328.4.2(b)(5) (copyright ASME), plus a
sketch for simplified explanation (Spreadsheet assumes weldolet
thickness to be more than 1.5 times the branch pipe thickness):

From ASME B16.25, Fig. 1 (copyright ASME), with colored

markup (branch pointing to the right):

The spreadsheet checks the limits both for slope angles and local thickness near the weldolet top.
There's also a general check regarding problematic weld size and an internal elevation check.
The formulas behind ELchk, THKchk, Rchk and αchk are shaded and might be excluded from print.
Typical sketch for dimensions in branch & header intersection plane (zoom for clarity).
Note: Spreadsheet automatically handles up to three outside cones plus an optional
cylindric section below these, in addition to an optional bottom taper inside. Increasing
diameter with increasing elevation is not allowed (except bottom weld bevel which must be
filled). The spreadsheet does not handle inside taper in the top of a weldolet. Increased
need for branch thickness along the bottom internal taper to account for perpendicular
thickness is disregarded and assumed to be outweighed by conservative use of branch
pipe tolerance all the way down to header. Outside taper in the top is checked against
allowable geometry wrt. stress concentration in top weld.
The pages below are used for various checks of the geometry and enabling graphic
representation of actual olet. They have no effect on the calculation of area replacement.

Various background calculations for top geometry check:

Min. thickness of actual branch pipe per specification:

Tbp  TB  tolb  2.669

Elevation of top of weldolet:

ELwoltop  gaproot  Hweldolet  27.6

gaproot2  1.6 Root gap between branch pipe and weldolet. The value affects the radius of
the allowable envelope. The check for maximum slope near the top allows
for 3% above ASME B16.25 angles to account for rounding errors etc.

Elevation of intersection between branch pipe outside and weld bevel, assuming pipe weld bevel
acc. to ASME B16.25 and an assumed root gap against top of weldolet equal to gaproot2:

ELbeveltop  ELwoltop  gaproot2 if TB  3

 
ELwoltop  gaproot2  TB  1.6  tan( 37.5deg) if TB  3  TB  22

 
ELwoltop  gaproot2  ( 19  1.6)  tan( 37.5deg)  TB  19  tan( 10deg) otherwise

ELbeveltop  30.313

Max. envelope for weldolet material at ELwoltop acc. to B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5) & B16.25 Fig. 1:

Db
Renvtop 
2   
 min ELbeveltop  ELwoltop  tan( 30deg) 0.10 TB 4  17.005


Elevations at the next two slope changes in B16.25 Fig. 1:

ELenv1.5  ELwoltop  1.5 Tbp  23.597

ELenv2  ELwoltop  2.0 Tbp  22.263

Max. envelope at next two slope changes in B16.25 Fig. 1:

 
Renv1.5  Renvtop  1.5 Tbp  ELbeveltop  ELwoltop   tan( 30deg)  20.882
 

Renv2  Renv1.5  0.5 Tbp tan( 45deg)  22.217

Max. envelope for weldolet material near top weld acc. to B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5) and B16.25 Fig. 1:

Renv( y )  10000 if y  ELenv2

 
Renv2  y  ELenv2  tan( 45deg) if y  ELenv2  y  ELenv1.5

 
Renv1.5  y  ELenv1.5  tan( 30deg) if y  ELenv1.5  y  ELbeveltop

Db
otherwise
2

Max. slope for weldolet material near top weld acc. to B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5) and B16.25 Fig. 1:
αenv( y )  90deg if y  ELenv2

45deg if y  ELenv2  y  ELenv1.5

30deg if y  ELenv1.5  y  ELbeveltop

0deg otherwise

Actual slope just below each slope change on the weldolet surface:

 Ro ELo2  Ro  ELo3 

αo3  atan  if ELo3  ELo2 αo3  60.018 deg
ELo3  ELo2
 
0 otherwise

 Ro ELo3  Ro  ELo4 

αo4  atan  if ELo4  ELo3 αo4  30.184 deg
ELo4  ELo3
 
0 otherwise

 Ro ELo4  Ro  ELo5 

αo5  atan  if ELo5  ELo4 αo5  0  deg
ELo5  ELo4
 
0 otherwise

Check whether there is weldolet material outside the maximum envelope:

Rchk1    
1 if Ro ELwoltop  Renv ELwoltop 
1 if Ro  ELenv1.5  Renv ELenv1.5  Ro  ELenv2  Renv ELenv2

1 if Ro  ELo2  Renv ELo2  Ro  ELo3  Renv ELo3  Ro  ELo4  Renv ELo4

1 otherwise

Rchk  "OK" if Rchk1 = 1

"WARNING! Weldolet exceeds max. envelope. See B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5)!" otherwise

Check whether the weldolet surface exceeds maximum slope near the top weld (more than 3%):

αchk     
"OK" if αo3  1.03 αenv ELo3  αo4  1.03 αenv ELo4  αo5  1.03 αenv ELo5  
"WARNING! Weldolet exceeds max. slope near top. See B31.3 par. 328.4.2(b)(5)!" otherwise
Check whether EL1, EL2 etc. are ascending:

ELchk  "OK" if EL1  EL2  EL2  EL3  EL3  EL4  EL4  EL5  EL5  EL6  EL6  ELo5

"ERROR! Elevations not in ascending order! Fix manually!" otherwise

Additional formulas for graph use only:

y  TH TH  0.05  1.4EL7

tb ( y )  tb2 if y  gaproot

y  gaproot  t  t
tb2 
H
 b2 b1 if y  gaproot  y  gaproot  Htaper
taper
tb1 otherwise

Rog( y )  1000 if y  0
Ro ( y ) if y  0

Rig( y )  1000 if y  0 Dhg( y )  1000 if y  0

Ri( y ) otherwise 1000 otherwise

chg( y )  1000 if y  Th  c tolhg( y )  1000 if y  Th

1000 otherwise 1000 otherwise

IDh ( y )  1000 if y  TH Tbg( y )  Tb if y  L4

1000 otherwise 1000 otherwise

thg( y )  1000 if y  Th  c  th L4g( y )  1000 if y  L4

1000 otherwise 1000 otherwise

Check whether d2 interferes with weldolet material (would cause incorrect result)

DO d1
d 2chk  "OK" if  d2   c  Tb  d 2  "OK"
2 2
"ERROR" otherwise

Check for risk of distortions due to large weld etc.:

DO  d 1nom
Wratio   0.768
2  TH


A4chk  A41  A42  A43  A44  A45  A46  A47  A48  A49 
 Sw 
A2  A3adj  A4chk min 1  
Reinf 
 Sh   1.564
A1

THKchk1  0 if d 2chk = "ERROR"

1 if Reinf  1
2 if Reinf  1.2  Wratio  3

3 if Reinf  1.3  Wratio  2

4 otherwise
THKchk  "ERROR! Incorrect result due to small d2. Evaluate olet thickness!" if THKchk1 = 0

"WARNING! INSUFFICIENT REINFORCEMENT!" if THKchk1 = 1

"NOTE! Major weld distortion! Consider insert type weldolet or similar." if THKchk1 = 2

"NOTE! Consider optimising to reduce unnecessary weld distortion!" if THKchk1 = 3

"OK" otherwise