3. Context of piping calculations

3.1 Calculation assumptions

Wherever possible, for reasons of engineering cost, piping calculations are carried out using elastic analysis.

Pipe sections are modeled as "beam" elements (1D finite elements consisting of 2 nodes, i.e. 12 degrees of freedom per element).

In the case of steel piping (non-level 1 piping may also be made of composite materials or polyethylene), ductility, which characterizes plasticizing capacity, is taken into account indirectly via the choice of permissible stresses to be considered for regulatory checks.

Complex elastoplastic analyses are often coupled with 3D pipe modeling, and deployed in exceptionally sensitive cases.

This type of analysis eliminates the...