Correlation study between plate thickness of pipe saddle support and pipe loading

• Main Author: Rayhan, Muhammad Arif
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2025
• Subjects: T Technology; TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/29445/

A piping system is a network of interconnected pipes designed to transport fluids such as liquids, gases, or slurries from one location to another. This method is considered efficient due to its ability to maintain fluid quality without significant loss of properties. The system relies on various fittings and structural components for support, one of which is the pipe saddle support. This component is commonly used to support horizontal steel pipes by transferring the applied loads to adjacent structures and preventing direct contact between the pipe and its base. Stress distribution in pipe saddle supports is often analysed using finite element analysis (FEA). However, this method may yield inaccurate results if the boundary conditions and loading assumptions do not represent actual conditions. Additionally, the absence of experiment validation can lead to inaccurate results leading to problems in the future. Although general standards such as ANSI, ASME, and BS offer guidelines for pipe support systems, they often lack specific design provisions for pipe saddle supports. To address this gap, an oil and gas company which is Petronas developed its own piping support construction standard for large-diameter pipes ranging from 26 to 56 inches in nominal pipe size. Nevertheless, a case was identified in which the actual pipe loading exceeded the allowable limit defined by the standard, suggesting the need for further refinement. To investigate this issue, experiment was conducted on a pipe saddle support subjected to vertical loading. The sample of pipe saddle support is used 1.5 mm thickness. Additionally, the setup featured a portal frame secured using an underground locking system, where a pipe was loaded onto a pipe saddle support sample using a hydraulic system. Stress data were obtained from strain gauges placed at eight points on the flange plate, while the applied load was recorded using a 5-ton capacity load cell. The results indicated that, on average, the pipe saddle support samples failed at an applied load of 16,670.3 N. These experiment results were then used to validate a finite element model, incorporating boundary condition configuration, weld connection modelling, and mesh sensitivity analysis. The boundary condition setup was found to have the most significant effect, with the highest accuracy achieved using an inward contact angle of 11° and a ratio contact angle (Rca) of 0.83, providing an 83.3% accuracy. Using this validated model, a correlation study was conducted to compare pipe saddle supports with sliding, guide, and stopper attachment based on the pipe support construction standard developed by Petronas. The quantitative study concluded that higher pipe loads require thicker saddle plates, with sliding supports requiring the least thickness and stopper supports requiring the most. To further validate the correlation, an additional experiment was performed using a 4.5 mm plate pipe. With the same design and boundary conditions, the FEA achieved an accuracy of 94.6%, demonstrating the suitability of the modelling technique for industrial application. This research offers refined design recommendations that can support fabricators in producing more valid pipe saddle supports for future use.