The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of modeling parameters on the determination of limit loads for standalone pipe bends, subjected to an out-of-plane end moment and internal pressure. A pipe bend, with bend factor h=0.1615, is modeled and analyzed using the nonlinear finite element code ABAQUS. Small and large-displacement analyses are performed with elastic-perfectly plastic and strain-hardening material models. Small-displacement analyses fail to predict the stiffening effect of pressure and give a continuously decaying limit load with increased pressure. Material strain hardening gives a higher limit load than perfectly plastic materials. In the large-displacement analysis with a strain-hardening material, the limit moment levels off as the pressure increases, and does not decrease as in the case of a perfectly plastic material. [S0094-9930(00)00804-0]

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
pipe flow, pressure vessels, modelling, continuum mechanics
Topics:
Displacement, Pressure, Stress, Work hardening, Plastics, Modeling, Pipe bends, Deflection
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