Stress analysis of vibrating pipelines

Janusz Zachwieja

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1822, 020017 (2017);

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4977691
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/1822/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics

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 Stress Analysis of Vibrating Pipelines
Janusz Zachwieja1, a)
1
University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Kaliskiego 7,
85-789, Bydgoszcz, Poland
a)
Corresponding author: janusz.zachwieja@utp.edu.pl

Key words: pipeline vibrations, natural vibrations, transverse vibrations, Euler-Bernoulli beam equation,
Rayleigh's principle.

Abstract. The pipelines are subject to various constraints variable in time. Those vibrations, if not monitored for
amplitude and frequency, may result in both the fatigue damage in the pipeline profile at high stress concentration and the
damage to the pipeline supports. If the constraint forces are known, the system response may be determined with high
accuracy using analytical or numerical methods. In most cases, it may be difficult to determine the constraint parameters,
since the industrial pipeline vibrations occur due to the dynamic effects of the medium in the pipeline. In that case, a
vibration analysis is a suitable alternative method to determine the stress strain state in the pipeline profile. Monitoring
the pipeline vibration levels involves a comparison between the measured vibration parameters and the permissible
values as depicted in the graphs for a specific pipeline type. Unfortunately, in most cases, the studies relate to the
petrochemical industry and thus large diameter, long and straight pipelines. For a pipeline section supported on both
ends, the response in any profile at the entire section length can be determined by measuring the vibration parameters at
two different profiles between the pipeline supports. For a straight pipeline section, the bending moments, variable in
time, at the ends of the analysed section are a source of the pipe excitation. If a straight pipe section supported on both
ends is excited by the bending moments in the support profile, the starting point for the stress analysis are the strains,
determined from the Euler–Bernoulli equation. In practice, it is easier to determine the displacement using the
experimental methods, since the factors causing vibrations are unknown. The industrial system pipelines, unlike the
transfer pipelines, are straight sections at some points only, which makes it more difficult to formulate the equation of
motion. In those cases, numerical methods can be used to determine stresses using the kinematic inputs at a known
vibration velocity amplitude and frequency. The study presents the method to determine the stresses.

INTRODUCTION
The vibrations in the pipelines can be excited both by the external factors, usually pumps, as well as the internal
factors i.e. a pulsating motion of the medium. The vibrations may result in an immediate damage or a fatigue
damage as a long-term effect. The analysis of the effects of vibrations on the stress strain state in the pipe profiles is
a complex process, and thus the attempts were made to analyse it using a finite element method [1-6].
The length of the pipelines used in the chemical and power industry may be tens of kilometres, and thus it may
be impossible to determine the strain of the pipes directly, e.g. using the resistance wire strain gauges to determine
stresses in the hazardous profiles. A more feasible method is to measure the vibration amplitudes in selected pipe
points, since a relation between the vibration velocity and the strain has been found [7-14]. The maximum velocity
c0H xx , where: c0  E / U  is
0.5
of the longitudinal resonant vibrations of a free end of a slim rod is defined as: v0
the sound velocity in the rod material. Permissible normal stress correlated to the maximum longitudinal vibration
velocity can be expressed as: V xx / v0 U c0 .
Modelling and derivation of equation of motion for the pipes with medium are available in many studies. The
solutions to those equations determine the nature and the conditions of the vibration stability of straight or bent pipes

Scientific Session of Applied Mechanics IX

AIP Conf. Proc. 1822, 020017-1–020017-11; doi: 10.1063/1.4977691
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1490-7/$30.00

020017-1
with various supports. A comprehensive review of the modelling methods for the pipeline vibrations is presented in
[7].
The transverse vibrations of a supported pipe with medium flow were analysed by Ashley and Haviland [15].
Housner [16] has derived the equations of motion for the pipe transporting a liquid medium and the relations
defining the fundamental frequencies of the transverse vibrations of a supported pipe as a function of the medium
flow rate. He has also observed that the unstable movement conditions may occur at a certain critical velocity. Long
[17] has presented an alternative solution of the equation of motion for the pipe supported on both ends and has
compared the results of the analysis with the experimental results to validate the mathematical model used. The
results were ambiguous, since the maximum medium velocity used in the experiment was too low to result in a
significant change in the frequency of the transverse vibrations of the pipe. This issue has also been studied by
Beniamin and Niordson [18], who showed that the conditions for the stability of pipe vibrations depend on the
support used. The vibrations of straight supported pipes, excited by the medium flow are characterized by high
amplitude, if the flow velocity exceeds the critical velocity.

CRITERIA FOR A PERMISSIBLE PIPELINE VIBRATION LEVEL

The literature includes the criteria for the analysis of the vibration levels for pipelines, which define the
permissible displacement amplitudes or the vibration velocities as a function of the frequency [19]. Graph (Fig. 1) of
the relationship between the vibration amplitude and the frequency shows the permissible vibration levels. Lin [20]
has observed that the criterion can mainly be used for the oil pipelines, where slim pipes are usually supported by
very flexible supports. For rigid supports, the relationship must be modified.
1000

100
mm (peak-peak)

10 Danger

Correction

Marginal

1 Design

Average
Treshold
of Perception
0,1
1 10 100 1000
Hz

FIGURE 1. Allowable pipes vibration levels vs frequency.

A simple fatigue analysis based on the displacement criterion was suggested for the oil system pipelines
vibrations by Wachel and Bates [21]. A similar approach has been positively verified by an extensive study of the
pipeline vibrations in the power industry [22]. The method can be used to determine the dynamic state of the
pipelines in which the vibrations are excited at the lowest natural frequency, and the pipe is considered a vibrating
beam. Its disadvantage is that it applies to the frequency range up to f=300 Hz, which is significantly below the
frequencies excited by the pump vanes. A wide excitation band may also include the frequencies higher than
occurring in the oil pipelines [23, 24].

020017-2
 1000

Danger
100
Correction

mm s -1
Correct

Design
10

1
1 10 100 1000
Hz

FIGURE 2. Orientation values for permissible pipe vibrations.

The graph in Fig. 2 shows that the permissible vibration velocity can be higher with the increase in the vibration
frequency. The result may be contradictory to the expectations. High frequency vibrations are considered more
dangerous.

FIGURE 3. Stresses in the vibrating pipe sections.

In order to dispel those doubts, a straight section of a pipe with a diameter of d=273 mm and a length of l=9 m
supported on both ends is considered. The amplitude of the vibration velocity of the pipe's centre of mass is
A=200 mm·s-1. If the vibration frequency is f=3 Hz , the stresses in the pipe profile at the highest vibration amplitude
are Vzred =100 MPa. At f=9.5 Hz, the same amplitude of the vibration velocity is associated with the stresses of
barely Vzred =50 MPa.
A promising method to determine the stresses in pipelines is a method using the Rayleigh's principle. In the
oscillating motion, the kinetic energy proportional to the velocity squared and the potential energy proportional to
the elastic strain energy squared are exchanged. A direct relation between the maximum vibration velocity and the
strain can be observed as:

K
H v (1)
c

Constant K, depending on the stress concentration has a value between 0.5 and 3. Most commonly, the value is
K=2.25. Symbol c is the velocity of sound propagation in the pipe material. The advantage of the method is that the

020017-3
velocity can be measured using standard vibration meters irrespective of the nature of the vibrations. For different
types of pipe joints, which are the most susceptible to fatigue damage, permissible strain for the construction steel is
between 24-78 MPa. The lower limit refers to the threaded joints, whereas the upper limit applies to the stresses
observed in a solid material.
Let us consider a pipe with the flow diameter A, length L, modulus of elasticity E and moment of inertia I. The
medium density is U. The pressure inside the pipe at the measured point is p. The flow is steady at the velocity v.

FIGURE 4. Sketch of the system considered in the analysis.

The free vibration equation for the pipe (Fig. 4) with the medium flowing inside can be expressed as:

w4 y 2 w y
2
w2 y § m ·w y
2
EI  U Av  2 U Av  ¨  U A ¸ 0 (2)
wx 4 wx 2 wxwt © L ¹ wt
2

I II III IV

The Eq. (2) has the following terms:

I - is a relation defining a shear force, a bending moment derivative, acting on the unit length:

w3 y wM
Q EI EI (3)
wx3 wx

II - is a component of a unit force acting on the bend pipe section, resulting in a change in the momentum of the
flowing medium,
III - is a relation defining the unit Coriolis force,
IV - is a modulus of the inertia force acting on the pipe and the flowing medium.
With the dimensionless variables:

x y t EI
[ ; K ; W (4)
L L L2 m
UA
L

this equation can be solved using the Galerkin method as the following series:

f
K [ ,W  ¦I [ \ W 
i 1
i i (5)

The function Ii [  must meet the boundary conditions. For the following conditions:

wK wK
K  0,W  K 1,W  0; z 0; z0 (6)
w[ [ 0
w[ [ 1

is:

Ii [  sin  Oi[  (7)

where: Oi =Si, i=1,2,....

020017-4
 The natural frequency of the transverse vibrations is defined as follows:

2
1 § iS · EI
fi ¨ ¸ (8)
2S ©L¹ Uˆ

where: Û is the mass of a pipe filled with medium in relation to the pipe length. Eq. (8) should be treated as
approximate relationship, taking into account the fact that the flow rate does not significantly affect the value of the
natural frequency.
The solution is relatively simple for the model shown in Fig. 4 only. In any other geometric pipe configuration,
finding the analytical solution to the Eq. (2) is extremely difficult, thus the most effective analytical method is to use
the numerical method. Referring to the Eq. (2) is aimed to define the differences in the approach to the issue using a
purely analytical and the numerical method using the experimental vibration spectra for the pipe with medium flow.

RELATION BETWEEN VIBRATION VELOCITY AND STRESS IN PIPE PROFILE

Dynamical stresses Vg due to the transverse vibrations of a pipe are related to the bending moment Mg and its
axial bending strength indicator W is as follows:

Mg
Vg (9)
W

For the annular cross-section of the pipe:

S  D4  d 4  2I
W (10)
32 D D

where I is the second moment of area corresponding to the bending axis. A relation between the bending moment
and the pipe strain can be expressed as:

d2y
1 dx 2 Mg
 (11)
U 3
EI
ª § dy ·2 º 2

«1  ¨ ¸ »
¬« © dx ¹ ¼»

2
dy § dy ·
For small bend angles the value is  1 and moreover ¨ ¸  1 . Finally:
dx © dx ¹

d2y Mg 2V g
  (12)
dx 2 EI ED

The bend line equation for the pipe with length L articulated on both ends and oscillating in accordance with the
first form is expressed as:

§Sx · §Sx·
y  t,x  M  t  sin ¨ ¸ M0 sin Zt  sin ¨ ¸ (13)
© L ¹ © L ¹

where Z is the natural frequency of the pipe. To calculate a second derivative of the expression:

020017-5
 w2 y S 2M0 §Sx ·
 sin Zt  sin ¨ ¸ (14)
wx 2 L 2
© L ¹

Therefore:

ED w 2 y ED S 2M0 §Sx ·
Vg  sin Zt  sin ¨ ¸ (15)
2 wx 2 2 L2 © L ¹

In Eq. (13), M0 is the amplitude of non-damped vibration of the pipe depending on the constraint value. The profile
in which the highest stresses are observed is located in the middle of the pipe length, for x=0.5L. Then:

ED S 2M0
V g max sin Zt  (16)
2 L2

Differentiating the expression (13) over time we get:

§Sx ·
y  t,x  v  t,x  ZM0 cos Zt  sin ¨ ¸ (17)
© L ¹

and:

§Sx·
y  t,x  p  t,x 
Z 2M0 sin Zt  sin ¨ ¸ (18)
© L ¹
As per the Eq. (17), the maximum vibration velocity can be observed in the same profile as the maximum pipe
displacement and also:

§ L· § L· § L·
p ¨ t, ¸ p t, p ¨ t, ¸
ED S 2M0 ED S 2 © 2¹ ED S 2 ¨© 2 ¸¹ ED © 2¹
V g max sin Zt     2 (19)
2 L2 2 L2 Z2 2 L2 4S 2 f 2 8L f2

The analysis applies to the straight sections of pipelines with articulated support (Fig. 5A).

A B

articulated supports fixed supports

FIGURE 5. The pipelines with articulated support and fixed support.

The supports used in the industrial pipelines limit all the degrees of freedom apart from the axial displacement to
eliminate stresses due to the thermal expansion of the pipe.

020017-6
 INDUSTRIAL PIPELINE TESTING
The subject of the test was a pipeline in the liquor circulation line of the digester used in a paper mill. The
pipeline length is l=33 m. A medium transported in the pipeline is a soda lye (i.e. white liquor) at a concentration of
several percent. It is a liquid with the density similar to water. The pipeline pressure is p=1.1 MPa. A volume flow
rate of the medium is Q=0.07 m3·s-1.

mount to
digester

support

FIGURE 6. The upper pipe section mounted to the digester.

The article includes an excerpt from the stress strain state analysis of the pipeline in its upper section with the
diameter of d=273 mm, i.e. by the digester and in its lower section including the section from level h=0 m (pump
level) to level h=9m . The pipeline section diameter is d=219 mm. Fig. 6 shows the upper section as an approach to
the digester. Fig. 7 shows a resonant response of the pipe section.
1

0,8
16,5 Hz

0,6
67 Hz
mm s -1

55 Hz

0,4

0,2

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Hz

FIGURE 7. The resonant response of the pipe section. FIGURE 8. The frequencies and corresponding natural
vibration forms determined for the model.

Fig. 8 shows the frequencies and corresponding natural vibration forms determined for the model.

FIGURE 9. The method of excitation of the resonant vibrations in the pipeline.

A comparison between the calculation results and the measured values shows that the rigidity, damping and

020017-7
weight of the pipe section with medium are correct. The resonant frequency of the pipe section without medium is
lower (Fig. 9).
The vibration velocity of the pipeline was measured at the fixing points at the support and at the straight pipe
section. Fig. 10 shows the vibration amplitudes at prevalent frequencies.

10 10

8 8

4,25Hz; 2.80 mm s-1

6 6

11,25Hz; 1,44 mm s-1

mm s -1

mm s -1

4,25Hz; 1.03 mm s-1

4 4

2 2

0 H 0 V
0 20 40 0 20 40
Hz Hz

FIGURE 10. The vibration amplitudes at prevalent FIGURE 11. The vibration spectrums.
frequencies.

Fig. 11 shows the vibration spectra for the analysis of the characteristics of the pipe vibration in time in horizontal
and vertical direction in point shown in Fig. 10.
The constraint used in the numerical analysis corresponds to the actual constraint due to the similarity between
the measured and the calculated spectrum of the vibration velocity (Fig. 12).

10 10

8 8
4,25Hz; 2,88mm s-1

6 6
11,25Hz; 1,35mm s-1
mm s -1

mm s -1

4,25Hz; 1,06mm s-1

4 4

2 2

H V
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Hz Hz

FIGURE 12.The calculated spectrum of the vibration velocity. FIGURE 13. The stress distribution in the pipe sections.

Fig. 13 shows the stress pattern in the determined pipeline profile based on the measured vibration velocities.
Maximum values of the stress reduced according to the Huber-von Mises-Hencky hypothesis in the analyses pipe
section are between Vzred = 10-18 MPa. The values reach Vzred = 30 MPa at the joint between the pipeline and the
digester only. The values are considered safe.
For comparison, the stress values due to the pressure p=1.1 MPa inside the pipe were determined for the pipe
profiles (Fig. 14). The stresses reach Vzred = 40 MPa in the most strained profiles.

FIGURE 14. The stress distribution in the pipeline for pressure p=1.1 MPa.

A pipeline with correct pipe section joints should not fail due to the analysed stress pattern. The pipeline's stress
strain state depends on the thermal stresses, which at the incorrectly designed supports without any expansion

020017-8
capabilities may reach several hundred MPa, if the pipe section length between the rigid supports is high, and the
pipe temperature changes within a wide range.
The methods and the vibration modelling results as well as the stress analysis results are presented considering
the complex shape of the pipeline profile in its bottom section (Fig. 15).

elastic
support

fixed
support

mount to
pump

FIGURE 15. The pipeline profile in its bottom section.

The natural frequencies of the pipeline section are determined based on the resonant response shown in Fig. 16.
3

2,5
9,75Hz

2
mm s -1

1,5
19,5Hz

1
16,63Hz

25Hz

0,5

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Hz

FIGURE 16. The resonant response of the pipe section. FIGURE 17. The frequencies and corresponding natural
vibration forms determined for the model.

Within the frequency range up to fgr=100 Hz, two distinct natural frequencies f1=9.75 Hz and f2=2xf1=19.5 Hz can
be observed. The following natural frequencies were determined using the modal analysis: f1=7 Hz, f2=8.3 Hz,
f3=21.8 Hz (Fig. 17). Allowing for any possible errors when determining the resonant response of the pipeline and
difficulties in determining the support rigidity, the results are deemed acceptable.

10 10
24,75Hz; 4.20 mm s-1

8 8
9.75Hz; 1.92mm s-1

6 6
24,75Hz; 1,34 mm s-1
mm s -1

mm s -1

4 4
L R
2 2

0
H 0
V
0 20 40 0 20 40
Hz Hz

FIGURE 18. The vibration amplitudes at prevalent FIGURE 19. The vibration spectrums.
frequencies.

The vibration velocities at the bottom pipeline section were measured at the joint between the pipeline and the

020017-9
pump and in two other points between the supports (Fig. 18). The vibration spectra shows a wide range of near-
resonant frequencies visible as faint sidebands (L) - left and (R) - right (Fig. 19).
The kinematic constraint for the oscillating system model are the vibration velocity spectra in the measurement
points, filtered by the prevalent frequencies. Fig. 20 shows the example spectrum shape in the x-y direction in a
specified measured profile.

10 10

24,75; 4,27mm s -1
8 8
9,75Hz; 2,03mm s-1

6 6
mm s -1

mm s -1
24,75; 1,36mm s -1

4 4

2 2

0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Hz Hz

FIGURE 20. The calculated spectrums of the vibration FIGURE 21. The stress distribution in the pipeline.
velocity.

Fig. 21 shows the stress pattern in the profiles of the bottom pipeline section determined using the numerical
method.
The reduced stresses in some profiles may reach 50 MPa. It is considered a safe level, however, intermittent
checks of the welded joints at each section may be required. The complex-shaped pipelines characterized by a
change in medium momentum at high temperature and high pressure are subject to cavitation. The degradation in
pipe material leads to an increase in stress and thus pipe cracking.

CONCLUSIONS
The presented method to determine the stresses in pipe structures based on their vibration velocities has a sound
theoretical background. It is a tool, which is expected to be in common use due to the simplicity of both the
measurement of the vibration parameters and the numerical analysis. It allows to determine the maximum strain and
thus the stress strain state of the pipe. The main issue is, that the method requires to determine the parameters of the
relative pipeline vibrations, when the pipeline is constrained by the structure characterized by vibrations at other
frequencies. Use of the laser vibrometers to determine the time characteristics of the vibrations allows automatic
measurements and stress strain state analysis of both short and very long as well as very complex pipelines.

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020017-10
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020017-11