The following list will provide few interview questions asked in different interview for

a Piping Stress Engineer post. Hope you will be able to find the answers from
ASME B 31.3 and any piping stress text books or from piping hand book. In case
you could not find out a specific answer reply in comments section. This is the part
one of the collection. Keep checking the website regularly for other parts.

1) How to make critical line list or flexibility log? How will you decide critical line list
with help of ASME B31.3?

2) How to decide Stress critical systems for analysis using Caesar II?

3) Which lines can be eliminated from formal Stress analysis?

4) Can you make a typical Sketch & supporting for column piping? How to decide
how many load bearing clip supports to be used?

5) Draw a typical Sketch & supporting arrangement for tank farm piping? How tank
Piping analysis is different from normal pressure vessel connected piping system
analysis?

6) What is SIF? Formulas for In plane, outplane sif for elbow (B31.3)?

7) Value of sif, flexibility factor for Bend?

8) What are the necessary documents required for stress analysis?

9) Why a Spring hanger is used? Can you write the formula for spring HL, CL &
variability?

10) What are the different types of supports used in piping systems?

11) What do you know about Expansion joints and thier types? When these come
into picture?
12) What are the normal types of load cases? Write the load cases for a typical
stress system using static method of seimic and wind?

13) What is slug flow? What parameters are required to calculate Slug force?

14) What are the dynamic restraints? What is snubber and when do you use a
snubber?

15) What is the minimum swing allowed in top mounted hanger? What will you do if
that amount exceeds in a typical piping system?

16) What is cold pull and why it is used?

17) What is difference between Variable Hanger and Constant Hanger? What is the
variability of Constant Spring hanger?

18) What are the inputs required for stress analysis? What do you check in Caesar
analysis of a piping system?

19) What do you mean by the term “liberal stress”?

20) What is hot-cold philosophy for pump? Have you heard the term Pump
alignment?

21) Write equation for SE in terms of Sb and St from ASME B 31.3?

22) What are the major difference between WRC 107 and WRC 297?

23) How Anchor load for a rack is calculated at the initial phases of project? What
are the normal guidelines assumed?

24) Draw a typical control station layout and show its supporting?

25) How pump piping is routed and supported?

26) How you will decide the position of anchor bay in rack piping?

27) Which side (suction or discharge)   in case of pump piping system is more
critical from stress point of view?  Justify the answer?

28) What are the main factors that decides support span?

29) What does API610 explains about aloowable nozzle loads for a Centrifugal
Pump?

30) Can you show the typical layout and supporting for PSV lines?

31) What is the effect of friction in Piping stress analysis?

32) How layout of a pump piping changes with changes in temperature?

33) Why the allowable for primary stress is different from that of secondary stress?

34) Is the stress due to seismic anchor movement an occasional stress ? Explain
with proper reason?

35) What is meant by the sentence ”primary stress is not self relieving but
secondary stress is”? Explain in detail the meaning of the term “ self relieving”.

36) Will SIF increase or decrease with increase in pressure, other parameters kept
constant? Justify your answer.

37) What is the role of Y factor in the pressure thickness eqn. of B31.3 and B31.1?

38) Is the pressure thickness eqn. for bends same as that of straight pipe in B31.3?

39) How B31.3 defines the terms Weldolet, Sweepolet?

40) Between a short and a long radius bend, which one has higher flexibility and
why?

41)   What does B31.3 tell about SIF for sockolet and reducer?

42)   Explain the role of Appendix V of B31.3?

43)   Does B31.3 allow a stress limit of 1.33Sh in PSV pop up case or is it 1.20 Sh?

44)   Explain how to model snubber in CAESAR II.

45)   Briefly explain the modeling of Sway Brace is CAESAR II.

46)   What is the basic difference between a snubber and a sway brace in terms of
applicability?

47)   Explain with reason as to what should happen to the SIF and Flexibility factor
of a bend when a trunnion is attached to it?

48)   Explain the terms SIF and FLEXIBILITY factor.

49)   Why SIF is “not so significant” with primary loading?

50)   What happens to SIF of a reinforced connection if thickness of reinforcement

increases beyond 1.5 times header thickness?

51)   What special note B31.3 provides for SIF of welding tees (B16.9) ?

52)   Explain with reasons as to which one is having higher SIF: a 45 bend or a 90
Bend?
53)   Explain with reasons as to whether for a  non 90 degree branch the same SIF
can be taken as that for a 90 branch?

54)   If thickness of the header of a branch connection increases, what happens to

its SIF, other parameters kept constant?

55)   What are the methods for flange leakage checking? Write euations used for
flange leakage checking in pressure equivalent method?

56)   What are the major difference between ASME B 31.3 and B31.1?

57)   Place the following lines in Rack and show the placement of expansion loop?
      a) A 16 inch High pressure steam line
      b) A 6 inch Low pressure steam line
      c) A 10 inch Medium pressure steam line
      d) A 30 inch flare line
      e) A 8 inch process line and
      f) A 24 inch cooling water line.

58)   How to decide the Spring height for a top mounted Spring hanger? What are
the attachments used?

59)   How do you calculate SIF for 45 degree lateral connections entering into flare
header?

60)   What are the transfer lines? Why does the stress analysis of transfer lines
considered critical?

61. If a power plant is designed inside a Process refinery then where the
specification break between ASME B31.1 & ASME B31.3 should occur?

62.What is category M fluid service? Provide some examples?

63.What will be the consequences of a steam piping having low pocket but not
having a steam trap?

64.When and why the reducer of a pump suction piping is installed in bottom flat
condition?

65. If you found a specification break (at flange) between carbon steel and stainless
steel in a typical P&ID. What are the additional arrangements which a piping
engineer should make for this?
66.Assume a straight pipe of length L anchored at both ends. When a temp change
occurs the anchor force at one anchor becomes F1. Now the length of the same
pipw increased to L2 and with similar temp change anchor force becomes F2. What
is the relation between F1 and F2?

67. What is Piping Speciality item? How many types of piping speciality items are
used in piping engineering?  Can we include them in standard piping specification,
explain with reason?

68.Why does the sustained sagging for steam lines are limited within 3-5 mm?

69. What is a “Double block & Bleed” valve? When such type valves are required?

70.In a normal tie-in where do you insert the spectacle blind? a) before block valve
and towards new plant or b) after block valve and towards existing plant . Explain
why.

71.What is the difference between a pipe elbow and a bend?

72. Among the following which material have the highest co-efficient of thermal
expansion? A) Carbon steel b) Cast Iron c) Duplex steel d)Stainless steel   e)
Galvanized Carbon steel

73.What are the major parameters to be reported in support tag for a Shoe/Saddle
type support?

74.What are the Metallic expansion joints? When they are used and when they
could be avoided?
75.What is hot sustained stress? Why do we check it? Do we need to chech
expansion stress for hot sustained case?

76. What is the philosophy of arranging pipes in the Pipe rack and why? Normally
what % of area is kept reserved for future expansion?

77.What are the major difficulties faced by a stress engineer while analysis two
vertical rebolers connected with a single column?

78.What are the different types of combination methods available is Caesar II?
What is the difference between Scalar and Absolute method?

79.  Are process plant water lines considered pressure piping systems?

80.  For what fluid service category may a hydro test be waived off as per B31.3?

81. Check the following load cases and tell me what is the difference between load
case L3 and L4?

L1. W+T1+P1                 OPE

L2. W+P1                       SUS
L3. L1-L2                       EXP
L4. T1                            EXP

82. Which comes first?–Stress or Strain?

83. What is the difference between Stress and Pressure?

84. What are the major differences between a Pipe and a Tube?

85. What is seismic co-efficient? How this is decided?

86. What is wind shape factor? How the value of wind shape factor is decided?

87. Why does the manufacturer produce pipes with OD constant for a specific size
and varying ID?

88. What are the major responsibilities of a stress engineer?89. What are the major
differences between primary and secondary stresses in Piping?
90.   Do you consider the vertical thermal growth for modelling fired heater in
Caesar II? Explain with reason?
91. Why does the dummy of a piping system is also insulated for cold insulated
piping system but not insulated for hot insulated piping system?
92. What are the major parameters and process inputs required for performing
dynamic slug flow analysis?
93. Which parameters do you seek from civil department for performing
underground piping analysis in Caesar II? Describe briefly the method of
performing underground piping analysis using caesar II? What are the outputs to
check and what to interpret from caesar results?
94. How to calculate pipe thickness for externally pressured piping system?

95. What do you mean by the term flexibility ? How to ensure that the flexibility of a
piping system is appropriate? What are the means for increasing flexibility? What
will happen if more flexibility is provided to a piping system?

96. As per code ASME B 31.3 how many types of fluid service is available?
97. What are the code cases for ASME B 31.3?
98. Describe step by step methods for modelling a sway brace in caesar II?
99. In which way PDS, PDMS and SP3D differs? Which one is the best user
friendly?
100. How to calculate the piping stress manhour for a specific project?

104. What is bourdon effect of Piping system? When this effect become critical?
105. How do you check dummy ot trunnions for any project? Can you write the
formulas used for this checking?

106. What is the difference between pressure safety valve and pressure relief
valve?
107. Why do you consider slug flow in a piping system as critical?
108. What is the function of a gasket in flanged joint?
109. Why sustained stress is considered as a primary stress?
110. What are the major differences between SIF and SCF (Stress Concentration
Factor)?
111. Lets assume from a 24 inch pipe header two tapping, one 2 inch and other one
4 inch, are taken. At the interconnection point in which case the SIF will be higher?
112. What is the industry accepted procedure for transferring anchor load for
intermediate anchors (anchor in between two loops) where normally caesar shows
very less value?
113. How to analyze stress packages when D/T ratio for the pipe exceeds 100?
114. Arrange the following piping elements with respect to flexibility and SIF (either
increasing or decreasing order). Assume pipe size and thickness are constant.:
1.5D bend, 1D bend, Straight Pipe, 4D bend, 10D bend.
115. What is primary membrane stress?
116.  Which one is more flexible : 45° bend or 90° bend? Which one is having more
SIF?
117.  Can we call piping shoe a pipe component as per code? Explain with reason.
What is your opinion about RF pad in this respect?
118. What does the piping code says about the operation and maintenance of
piping system?
119. You want to make some changes in the existing plant and want to add a new
line by hot tapping. From which point the ASME B 31.3 code will be applicable?
122. Can you write the NEMA equipment nozzle equation sets? What are the major
differences in between API 617 and NEMA SM 23 from stress point of view? Draw a
typical steam turbine piping layout?

123. Which standard is used for designing plate fin heat exchanger? Which table is
normally followed for nozzle load checking?

124. How do you consider tank settlement while stress analysis? Is it a primary or
secondary stress? Do you add tank settlement with sustained load cases? If yes
why? What code says about tank settlement? What is tank bulging and why does it
happen?

125. Draw a typical layout of a line connected with fired heater (Heater Piping)?
Which standard is used for allowble nozzle loads?

126. What are the major differences in between B 31.3 edition 2012 and 2010?

127. Which standard says about rotary equipment alignment check? What is the
criteria mentioned in that standard? While alignment checking spring will be in
locked or design condition?

128. Calculate the number of loops for a 400 meter long carbon steel pipe having a
temperature of 400 degree centigrade running over a pipe rack?

129. How do you calculate PSV reaction forces in absence of reaction force in
vendor data? What is the major difference in between pressure safety valve and
pressure relief valve?
130. Do you perform trunnion check while analysing a stress system? What are the
associated formulas for trunnion checking?

131. What is the equation for calculating seismic co-efficient? How to calculate the
wind force?

132. What is guided cantilever method? What is the importance of this method?

133. What does the Appendix F of API 610 ensures? What are the equations? What
the standard says for vertical inline pumps?

134. What do you mean by weld joint strength reduction factor and quality factor?
What is the importance of these factors?

135. While providing preliminary rack loading what assumptions do you consider?

136. What was the most critical system you analysed in the last company? Draw
the layout? What changes you recommended? What is temperature of that line?

137. What are the minimum load cases required to consider while performing stress
analysis of a vertical reboiler connected piping system?

138. Have you performed stress analysis of reciprocating compressor connected

line? What are the considerations? What is the minimum frequency you achieved
before sending for pulsation study? How do you consider upto what length of piping
is to be send for pulsation study?

139. What actually do you check during flange leakage checking by NC 3658
method?

140. Can we reduce the hydrotest pressure of pipe to less than 1.5 times the line
design pressure? If yes then in what condition?