Merger Turns to Collaboration - COADE Remains Independent

Volume 25

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FOR THE POWER,

PETROCHEMICAL AND

RELATED INDUSTRIES

The COADE Mechanical EngineeringNews Bulletin is published periodicallyfrom the COADE offices in Houston,Texas. The Bulletin is intended to provideinformation about software applicationsand development for MechanicalEngineers serving the power, petrochemi-cal and related industries. Additionally, theBulletin serves as the official notificationvehicle for software errors discovered inthose Mechanical Engineering programsoffered by COADE. (Please note, thisbulletin is published only two to threetimes per year.)

©1999 COADE, Inc. All rights reserved.

I N T H I S I S S U E :

V O L U M E 2 7 J U N E 1 9 9 9

What’s New at COADEMerger Turns to Collaboration ....................... 1

CAESAR II Version 4.10 Releasedin February ................................................. 2

PV Elite Version 3.50 Features ..................... 4

TANK Version 2.00 Released in January ...... 5New Look for COADE Web Site ..................... 8CAESAR II Speed Benchmarks .................... 9

Technology You Can UseImproving Support and Remote

Demonstrations with Microsoft

NetMeeting .............................................. 10Automatic On-Line Registration ................... 12API-650 10th Edition Published .................... 13

The “Year 2000” Issue ................................. 13Hinges, Ball-Joints, & Friction in CAESAR II. 14PC Hardware for the Engineering User

(Part 27) ................................................... 19

Program SpecificationsCAESAR II Notices ...................................... 20TANK Notices ............................................... 21

CODECALC Notices .................................... 21PV Elite Notices ........................................... 22

Ball JointModeling

> see story page 14

CAESAR IISpeed Tests

> see story page 9

UsingNetMeeting

> see story page 10

Merger Turns to Collaboration -COADE Remains Independent

By: Richard Ay and Tom Van Laan

The most recent issue of Mechanical Engineering news publicized theimpending merger of Research Engineers, Inc. and COADE, scheduled toclose in late December 1998. Upon further review, the Boards of Directors ofboth Research Engineers, Inc. and COADE determined that the conditionsrelating to the acquisition were no longer in the best interest of either company’sshareholders, and the merger process was halted.

The management of both Research Engineers, Inc. and COADE remainconvinced of the potential synergies between the companies and the attendantvalue that might be captured from those synergies. Both companies arecurrently discussing future areas of collaboration and the formation of aninter-company Executive Committee to provide oversight for the proposedalliance.

The potential areas of collaboration include: the formation of a joint SteeringGroup for both companies; > continued on p.2

COADE Mechanical Engineering News June 1999

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Merger Turns to Collaboration -COADE Remains Independent> continued from p 1

the development of interfaces between the companies’ products;joint marketing and advertising campaigns; utilization of each other’smarketing and distribution infrastructure; joint product trainingseminars and joint corporate account marketing.

CAESAR II Version 4.10 ReleasedBy: Richard Ay

As most CAESAR II users know, Version 4.10 was released in lateFebruary. Version 4.10 has introduced many new features whichhave generally been well received by the user base.

The major improvements incorporated in the 4.10 release werediscussed in the last issue of Mechanical Engineering News. Therewere however, many additional improvements throughout thesoftware, which were too numerous to list. Some of theseimprovements are discussed in the paragraphs that follow.

FileOpen Dialog: When users click on the “File\Open” menuoption (or click on the “open folder icon”), the system respondswith the expected “file open” dialog box. This dialog box allowsusers to navigate through all system disk drives to find the desiredinput file. Often, there are many CAESAR II input files in thetarget directory, some with similar names. Version 4.10 expandedthe “file open” dialog to include a graphic “thumbnail” plot of thecurrent job file. Users can see a plot of the job file by simplyclicking on the file names, as shown in the figure below.

The use of this dialog allows users to select models without enteringthe input processor and plotting the job to determine its configuration.

Full LIST Processor: With Version 4.10, the LIST processor hasbeen fully implemented. This processor generates a “grid” view ofthe selected data type. The LIST processor is an excellent tool fordata verification and possible modification. The figure belowshows a typical Restraint List.

The “spinner control” (the left/right arrows at the lower left cornerof the figure) scroll through the available report types, presented as“tabs” at the bottom of the window. Alternatively, the right mousebutton will bring up a context menu listing all of the availableoptions and list types.

API-610 Analysis: Many users are still not aware of the changemade to the coordinate system by API-610 8th Edition. This editionrotated the pump’s coordinate system so that “Z” is up, previouseditions defined “Y” up. The output of the API-610 module hasbeen improved for Version 4.10, now the user’s input in theCAESAR II global coordinate system (“Y” up) is reported, followedby the input translated into the new API-610 coordinate system (“Z”up).

June 1999 COADE Mechanical Engineering News

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Static Output Filters: To aid in static output review, filters havebeen added to the menu. These filters allow the user to restrictreports to show only critical results. For example, the figure belowshows how stress results could be limited to only those nodes wherethe stress exceeds 50% of the allowable.

Filters are provided for displacements, restraint loads, elementforces, and element stresses.

Drop Lists for Dynamic Input: To simplify the dynamic input,many input items have been provided with drop lists. These droplists enable the user to specify data by simply picking from anallowed list of options. No longer do you have to enter 1 or 0 for“yes” and “no”, just pick the desired choice from the list. The figurebelow shows the new drop list for the “Static Load Case for NonlinearRestraint Status” field on the Control Parameters tab. The contentsof this list show the available static load cases that were analyzed,which can be referenced here.

Drop Lists have been added for load cases, stress types, directions,etc. Certain lists (load cases for example) are built at run time, andtheir content varies by job.

MRU List Expanded: The “Most Recently Used” file list has beenexpanded (to include up to 15 jobs), and synchronized with the pipinginput processor. The MRU list allows the reselection of any of thelast 15 jobs, simply by selecting the desired job file name from thelist. The expanded MRU list is shown in the figure below.

The first revision to Version 4.10 (Build 990507) incorporates afew additional enhancements. These enhancements are non-technicalin nature: (do not affect the QA of Version 4.10) and are intendedsimply to provide additional “ease of use” for the user. Some ofthese modifications are discussed in the paragraphs below.

Graphic FileOpen Dialog: The new graphic FileOpen dialog(found in the Main Menu) has been added to the piping inputpreprocessor.

Disable Switch for Graphic FileOpen Dialog: On some computers,the new graphic FileOpen dialog occasionally caused problems,resulting in the inability to use the “File Open” to switch jobs.Therefore, an option to disable the graphics in this dialog box hasbeen added to the Configuration Module. This new option can befound on the “Miscellaneous” tab.

Graphics Routines: The graphics routines have been profiled forthe purposes of optimizing their performance. Modifications herehave resulted in a 36% speed improvement in the graphics routines.

Structural Graphics: Two new options have been provided todisplay the material and cross section ID numbers.

Input Echo: The INP formatting files have been modified to movethe job name reference to its own line. This allows the full pathname of the job to be displayed or printed.

Expansion Joint Data Bases: An “axial” expansion joint database from Flexider has been added.


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PV Elite Version 3.50 FeaturesBy: Scott Mayeux

PV Elite 3.50 is scheduled to be released in July 1999. This versionwill contain new features and two new component analysis modules.The two new component modules include the analysis of stresses onshells and nozzles per Welding Research Council Bulletin 297.The other new module will be the analysis of Flat Face Flanges withMetal-to-Metal contact Outside the Bolt Circle per Appendix Y ofASME Section VIII Division 1. Required thickness and MAWP ofClass 1, category 1, 2 and 3 identical flange pairs can be computed.The analysis of these flanges is similar to that of Appendix 2 flangesbut with many differences. These types of flanges typically have aself sealing O-ring gasket in the recess of one of the flanges. Asketch and calculation for an Appendix Y flange is shown below.

INPUT VALUES, FLANGE NUMBER 1, Description: APPY

Description of Flange Geometry (Type) Loose Slip OnDesign Pressure P 150.00 psigDesign Temperature 100.00 FCorrosion Allowance FCOR 0.0000 in.

Flange Inside Diameter B 10.0000 in.Flange Outside Diameter A 16.0000 in.Flange Thickness T 0.6250 in.

Flange Material SA-240 316LFlange Allowable Stress At Temperature SFO 16300.00 psiFlange Allowable Stress At Ambient SFA 16300.00 psi

Bolt Material SA-193 B7Bolt Allowable Stress At Temperature SBO 18000.00 psiBolt Allowable Stress At Ambient SBA 18000.00 psi

Diameter of Bolt Circle C 14.2500 in.Nominal Bolt Diameter DB 0.7500 in.Type of Threads UNC Thread SeriesNumber of Bolts 12

Gasket Outside Diameter GOD 12.1000 in.Gasket Inside Diameter GID 11.9000 in.Gasket Factor, m, M 0.0000Gasket Design Seating Stress Y 0.00 psi

Elastic Modulus of Bolt Material at Des. Temp 29538461 psiElastic Modulus of Flange Material at Des. Temp 28138460 psi

FLANGE ANALYSIS of Identical Flange Pairs Per Appendix YCorroded Flange ID, BCOR = B+2.0*FCOR 10.000 in.Corroded Flange Thickness, TH = T-FCOR 0.625 in.Corroded Large Hub, G1COR = G1-FCOR 0.000 in.Corroded Small Hub, G0COR = G0-FCOR 0.000 in.Code R Dimension, R = ((C-BCOR)/2.0)-G1COR 2.125 in.Code R Dimension, R = ((C-BCOR)/2.0)-G1COR 2.125 in.

Gasket Contact Width, N = (GOD-GID) / 2 0.100 in.Basic Gasket Width, B0 = N / 2.0 0.050 in.Effective Gasket Width, BE = B0 0.050 in.Gasket Reaction Diameter, G = (GOD+GID) / 2.0 12.000 in.Radial Contact Dist., hcmax = (A - C) / 2 0.875 in.

BASIC FLANGE AND BOLT LOADS:Hydrostatic End Load due to Pressure: H = 0.785 * G * G * PEQ H = 0.785 * 12.0000 * 12.0000 * 150.0000 H = 16956. lb.Contact Load on Gasket Surfaces: HP = 2.0 * BE * 3.14 * G * M * PE HP = 2.0 * 0.0500 * 3.14 * 12.0000 * 0.0000 * 150.00 HP = 0. lb.Hydrostatic End Load at Flange ID: HD = 0.785 * B² * PEQ HD = 0.785 * 10.0000² * 150.0000 HD = 11775. lb.Pressure Force on Flange Face: HT = H - HD HT = 16956 - 11775 HT = 5181. lb.

MOMENT ARM CALCULATIONS:Distance to Gasket Load Reaction: DHG = (C - G ) / 2.0 DHG = ( 14.2500 - 12.0000 ) / 2.0 DHG = 1.1250 in.Distance to Face Pressure Reaction: DHT = ( DHD + DHG ) / 2.0 DHT = ( 2.1250 + 1.1250 ) / 2.0 DHT = 1.6250 in.Distance to End Pressure Reaction: DHD = ( C - BCOR )/ 2.0 DHD = ( 14.2500 - 10.0000 ) / 2.0 DHD = 2.1250 in.

SUMMARY OF MOMENTS FOR INTERNAL PRESSURE:LOADING Force Distance Bolt Corr MomentEnd Pressure, MD 11775. 2.1250 1.0000 2085. ft.lb.Face Pressure, MT 5181. 1.6250 1.0000 702. ft.lb.Gasket Load, MG 0. 1.1250 1.0000 0. ft.lb.Gasket Seating, MA 41094. 1.1250 1.0000 3853. ft.lb.Gasket Seating, MA 41094. 1.1250 1.0000 3853. ft.lb.TOTAL MOMENT FOR OPERATION, RMO 2787. ft.lb.TOTAL MOMENT FOR GASKET SEATING, RMA 3853. ft.lb.

Effective Hub Length, H0 = 0.000 in.Hub Ratio, HRAT = Defined as 0.0 0.000Thickness Ratio, GRAT = Defined as 0.0 0.000

Flange Factors for Loose Flange:Factor Fl per 2-7.4 15.000Factor Vl per 2-7.5 194.636Factor f per 2-7.6 1.000

Factors from Figure 2-7.1 K = 1.600 T = 1.668 U = 4.732 Y = 4.306 Z = 2.282

Stress Analysis of a Class 1 Assembly

Compute the Factor: F’ = g0² * ( h0 + F * T ) / V = 0.0000 * ( 0.0000 + 15.0000 * 0.6250 ) / 194.6356 = 0.0000

Factor: Js = 1/B1 * ( 2*hd/ß + hc/a ) + pi*rb = 1/10.000(2*2.125/1.2125+0.8750/1.5125)+3.14159*0.009012 = 0.4367Factor: Jp = 1/B1 * ( hd/ß + hc/a ) + pi*rb = 1/10.000(2.125/1.2125+0.8750/1.5125)+3.14159*0.009012 = 0.2614


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Flange Moment due to Flange-Hub Interaction: Ms = -( Jp * F’ * Mp )/( t^3 + Js * F’ ) = -( 0.2614 * 0.0000 * 33440.99 )/( 0.6250 + 0.4367 * 0.0000 ) = 0.0000 ft.lb.

Slope of the Flange at the ID times E (Elastic Modulus): Ethetab = 5.46/(pi*t^3) * ( Js*Ms + Jp*Mp ) = 5.46/(3.14159 * 0.6250^3) * ( 0.4367* 0.00 + 0.2614* 33440.99 ) = 62233. psi

Contact Force between Flanges at hc: Hc = ( Mp + Ms ) / hc = ( 33440.99 + 0.00 ) / 0.8750 ) = 38218. lb.

Operating Bolt Load: Wm1 = H + Hg + Hc = 16956.00 + 0.00 + 38218.26 = 55174. lb.

Operating Bolt Stress: Sigmab = Wm1 / Ab = 55174.26 / 3.6240 = 15225. psi

Design Prestress in the Bolts: Si = Sigmab - 1.159 * hc² * (Mp+Ms)/( a * t^3 * l * re * B1 ) = 15224-1.159*0.875²*(33440)/(1.512*0.6250^3*2.000*2.000 = 11207. psi

Radial Flange Stress at the Bolt Circle: Sr = 6 * (Mp + Ms)/( t² * ( pi*C - n*D ) ) = 6 * ( 33440 + 0) /( 0.6250²( pi * 14.2500 - 12 * 0.8750 ) ) = 14989. psi

Tangential Flange Stress at the Inside Diameter: STid = (t*Ethetab/B1) = ( 0.6250* 62233.34 / 10.0000) = 3890. psi

Summary of Flange Stresses : Actual AllowableRadial Flange Stress at the Bolt Circle 14989.44 16300.00 psiTangential Flange Stress at the ID 3889.58 16300.00 psiBolt Stress 15224.69 18000.00 psi

Results for Required Thickness and M.A.W.P.Minimum Required Flange Thickness 0.5993 in.Estimated M.A.W.P. 163.11 psig

Another addition to the new version will be consideration of ASMECode Cases 2260 and 2261. These code cases provide alternaterules for the design (required thickness) of elliptical and torisphericalheads. Based on the new equations, the required thickness of thesehead types will be less than that required by the equations listed inUG-32. There are some limitations to the new rules that designersmust be aware of. For example, all but the smallest nozzles ( min of( 2.375 in, or 0.5*knuckle radius ) ) are allowed to be located in theknuckle region. This is because of the high local strains in thisregion. One must also carefully consider the effect of structuralattachments in this region and maximum temperature. Note thatcase 2260 applies to Section VIII Division 1 and case 2261 appliesto Section VIII Division 2. The use of either of these code cases isoptional and must be specified by the user for a particular job.

TANK Version 2.00Moves to Windows

By: Richard Ay

The TANK program has been revised to include the latest Addendafor API-650 (American Petroleum Institute Standard 650) andAPI-653. API-650, Addendum 4 and API-653 Addendum 2 wereboth published in December 1997. (Note, the 10th Edition of API-650 has not been addressed by TANK Version 2.00.) Theseaddenda necessitated a number of changes to the software, as listedin the tables below. Additionally, a number of modifications havebeen made as a result of user requests and code interpretations.These changes are also noted in the tables below.

API-650 Changes:

• The material database has been updated to reflect the changesto Table 3-2. This involved removing both A442 materials.

• Appendix F no longer forces a redesign utilizing Appendix A.

• Appendix I changed the equation for the maximum deflectionby raising a term in the denominator to the 3rd power.

• Section 3.4.2 has been incorporated, which insures that thebottom plate diameter is at least D + 2 inches.

• A modification has been made to the implementation ofSection 3.5.2, to include the bottom shell course thickness.

• Allowances have been made to enable metric jobs to utilize 6mm plate as the minimum thickness instead of 0.25 inch plate.

API-653 Changes:

• The equations for determining the allowable stress have beenmodified as per the recent addendum.

• Incorporated a recent Code Interpretation stating that theAppendix M reduction factor should be applied to both termsin the allowable stress determination.

• Modified the basic thickness equation in accordance with therecent addendum (it no longer subtracts 1 foot from the fluidheight).

• Incorporated the new computations for the allowed hydrotestheight.

• Modified the allowed settlement measurement points from 30ft to 32 ft around the circumference, in accordance with therecent addendum.

TANK, Version 1.60, released in early February 1999, includes allof the changes listed in the tables above. Users should note thatVersion 1.60 is the last DOS version of TANK. All subsequentversions will be native Windows programs.


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Version 2.00 of TANK is the first Windows version, and wasreleased with Version 1.60. Both versions reside on the same CD-ROM. Version 1.60 and Version 2.00 are technically equivalent.Both versions share the same features and capabilities, and bothyield the same results. Input files can be passed between these twoversions.

Version 2.00 is targeted toward Windows 95/98/NT 4.0 systems.Version 2.00 will not run under Windows 3.1x or Windows NT3.51. Version 2.00 relies on standard 32 bit Windows components,which are part of the current Windows (95/98/NT 4.0) operatingsystems. These standard components allow improved functionality,in the areas of file management and data presentation. Version 2.00also provides HTML help, which requires the presence of InternetExplorer to function properly.

The primary emphasis in the conversion of TANK to Windows wasto keep the interface layout as close as possible to the previous DOSversions, while taking advantage of standard Windows components.Users familiar with the layout of the DOS version should feelcomfortable with Version 2.00 immediately. The screen belowshows the TANK Main Menu, with the input menu expanded.

Where appropriate, tool bar buttons have been provided to allowquick selection of frequently used options. Each tool bar buttoncorresponds to a text based menu item, as shown in the figureabove. Selections can be made by pressing the tool bar button, orby picking the desired option from a menu.

When an input menu or tool bar item is selected, a “tabbed” dialogbox is presented to allow user input. A typical input dialog box isshown in the following figure.

Each input item (edit box) is shown with descriptive text and theexpected units. When this information is not sufficient, the on-linehelp can be activated. TANK Version 2.00 implements the HTMLhelp system suggested for current software. (This help systemrequires the presence of Internet Explorer somewhere on the system.)A typical help window is shown in the figure below.

When appropriate, the help system refers to related sections of theAPI codes. This can be seen in the figure above. Note that the helpsystem is organized in a hierarchical fashion, similar to a book.Each book (shown in the left pane above) represents a dialog box.Chapters represent tabs on the dialog, with pages representing eachitem. A built in search feature enables rapid navigation in the helpsystem,.


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Once the input has been specified, and successfully passed errorchecking, the analysis can commence. Following the analysis, theresults can be viewed in tabular report form, or graphically. Thereports present the results segregated by topics, which correspondto the main input categories. As in the help system, the outputreports reference code sections when appropriate. A typical outputreport is shown in the figure below.

As an alternative to text based report review, results can be viewedgraphically for shell settlement, nozzle interaction diagrams, andsupported cone roof design. A sample output graphic from asupported cone roof design is shown in the figure below.

A plot of the nozzle interaction diagram (for longitudinal momentversus radial force) is shown in the figure below.

Version 2.00 also includes on-line documentation, in PDF format.This is a standard document format for distributing Windowsdocuments. The on-line documentation can be viewed using theAdobe Acrobat Reader, as shown in the figure below.

The Acrobat Reader allows rapid navigation through the document,as well as the ability to print necessary pages or sections.

Version 2.00 also includes many standard Windows features, suchas: tip of the day, on-line registration, Windows diagnostics programs,a standard Windows installation, automatic loading of necessarydrivers, full mouse and/or keyboard navigation. The distributionCD also includes: TANK Version 1.60 the Adobe Acrobat Reader,Internet Explorer 4, and the brochures and demos of the otherCOADE software products.


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New Look for COADE Web SiteBy: Richard Ay

Recently the home page of the COADE web site was redesigned.This redesign provides more information to the viewer in lessspace, while providing more obvious links to important topics. Themost noticeable change is the relocation of the navigation bar fromthe top to the left side of the page. The redesigned home page isshown in the figure below.

Two of the primary purposes for the web site are the distribution ofsoftware maintenance updates, and information exchange throughthe discussion forums. The [Download] button on the navigationbar (in the figure above) produces a page with links to the downloadarea for each COADE product.

By clicking on the appropriate link, the download page for theselected program is presented. The download page contains linksto update archives, containing the revised modules for the product.By checking this area of the web site at least once a month, youinsure your software installation remains current.

The discussion forums have been mentioned many times in thispublication. Users repeatedly state that they review the content ofthese forums often. The more contributions we have to this area ofthe web site, the more useful it will become for everyone.

There are other areas of the web site full of information, a fewexamples are listed below:

• Software product information: Click the [Products] button,then click on the link for the desired product. This area of theweb site contains descriptive information as well as thetechnical bulletins in PDF format.

• Seminar & Show information: Click the [Seminars &Shows] button. The resulting page contains links to COADEsponsored seminars, seminars held by our dealers, andinternational shows were COADE products can be seen.

• Technical Information: Click the [General Info] button.This will present a page with links for each product. Theselinks produce a list of articles that can be viewed on line.These articles include FAQ (frequently asked questions) filesfor the products, discussions on specific technical topics, andsoftware applications.

• Travel Information: In the center of the home page is asection labeled “Other Important Links”. One link leads to theCOADE travel center. This page lists nearby hotels, showsmaps of the area, and provides links to local weatherinformation.

• Past Newsletters: Also in the “Other Important Links”section, is a link to a page listing the past five issues of thisnewsletter. These are presented in PDF format, for eitherdownloading or viewing on the web.

• Recommended Texts: Many users request references foradditional information on the usage of our software and itstheoretical background. In answer to this request, the COADEweb site contains a “Reference” section, which lists the titlesof texts we recommend. Clicking on any of the titles takes youto amazon.com, where additional information on the text canbe found, and if desired, the text can be purchased.

The COADE web site is full of information. Content is changed ona weekly basis, sometimes even daily. You should visit often.


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CAESAR II Speed BenchmarksBy: Richard Ay

Users have requested information on how they might expectCAESAR II to perform on various hardware platforms. In responseto this request, five sample jobs have been studied on a number ofplatforms. The results of this study are presented in the tablesbelow. These evaluations used CAESAR II Version 4.10 Build990507.

Machine Characteristics

Machine Processor Memory Video OperatingSystem

A series of five jobs were evaluated to determine the time to: loadthe job in the input processor, generate a volume plot, perform thesolution, and generate an on screen stress report. Loading the job inthe input processor provides an indicator of the speed of the harddisk/memory combination. The generation of the volume plotindicates the overall performance of the graphics system. Thesolution time was measured from the moment the “analyze” buttonwas clicked until the output menu was displayed. This measurementgives a good indication of the overall system performance. Thestress report generation is also a measure of the graphics systemperformance. The results of these tests for the five jobs (sketchedbelow) are presented in the following table.

SPBENCH1 SPBENCH2

SPBENCH3 SPBENCH4

SPBENCH5

Benchmark Results

Job File Size NumberofElements

Machine Input LoadTime

VolumePlotTime

StaticSolutionTime

StaticStressReport

LoadCases

SPBENCH1 364 Kbytes 1108 #1 2 sec 4 sec 20 sec 14 sec 6 + 2#2 6sec 11 sec 68 sec 20 sec#3 4 sec 13 sec 77 sec 45 sec#4 4 sec 4 sec 19 sec 16 sec#5 3 sec 4 sec 26 sec 19 sec

SPBENCH2 103 Kbytes 226 #1 2 sec 1 sec 8 sec 3 sec 2 + 1#2 3 sec 2 sec 14 sec 3 sec#3 3 sec 2 sec 16 sec 7 sec#4 2 sec 1 sec 9 sec 4 sec#5 3 sec 1 sec 13 sec 4 sec




NOTES:

• When reviewing these results, do not compare the performanceof one job to another. Instead, compare the timings for aparticular job across the various hardware platforms.

• The load cases analyzed are defined as “x + y”, where “x” isthe number of major load cases, and “y” is the number ofalgebraic combinations.

• These five jobs are available for download from the COADEweb site. The necessary URL is: http://www.coade.com/fcaesar.htm

• Also note that the second processor of the Dual Pentium is notutilized under NT Ver 4.x.

#1 Dell Dual P-400Desktop

256Mbytes Diamond AGP 8Mbytes -1600x1200x16 bits

NT 4 SrvcPk 3

#2 Dell P-200Desktop

64Mbytes Matrox MGA 4Mbytes -1024x768x24 bits

Win95 SrvcPk 1

#3 Dell P-166Desktop

64 Mbytes Diamond Stealth 64 2Mbytes -1152x864x16bits

Win95 SrvcPk 1

#4 Compaq P-366Notebook

256 Mbytes 2 Mbytes 1024x768x16 bites NT SrvcPk 3

#5 Dell P-400MMX Desktop

256 Mbytes STB Vida 8Mbytes1024x768x32 bits

Win 98


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Improving Support and RemoteDemonstrations withMicrosoft NetMeeting

By: Vornel Walker

Have you heard of Microsoft NetMeeting? Perhaps you have heardthat it is a great tool for making Internet calls without long distancecharges. Maybe you have seen it as a tool to provide audio andvideo teleconferencing over a local and wide area networks. All theabove is true but the real power of NetMeeting for end-users andsoftware developers is its role as a collaborative tool.

A Collaborative tool? What’s that?

What we mean is a tool that allows parties to interact real time oncomputer applications being run at different locations. Let usinvestigate how this can be used: say you call up forCADWorx/PIPE support and feel that the program is not workingas you expected or is not giving the results that feel it should. (Iknow that this is an unlikely occurrence but bear with me!) What wemay have asked you to do is to write a description of the problemand e-mail examples of the steps that you took to reach yourconclusion. This could mean 30 minutes of work on the part of theuser plus 3 or more attachments to an email. Good, efficient, cleanand precise, but also time consuming and laborious. Would it not begreat if COADE could see what steps you are going through in realtime? Would it not be a real time saver and less of a strain on yourwriting skills?

This is where Microsoft NetMeeting comes in. Once you have setup a meeting you can work easily with other meeting participants bysharing programs. Only one computer needs to have the sharedprogram, and all participants can either view or work on a documentsimultaneously. In addition, people can send and receive files towork on.

Hey you’ve got a beard!

Have you ever wanted to know what someone looks like? No? Wellif you did, at any time during a call NetMeeting’s audio and videowill let you see and hear other people (assuming you have videocapabilities on your computer). Even if you are unable to transmitvideo, you can still receive video calls in the NetMeeting videowindow. With the Chat feature, you can talk with multiple people.In addition, these Chat calls can be encrypted, ensuring that yourmeetings are private. Using the Whiteboard, you can explain conceptsby diagramming information, using a sketch, or displaying graphics.You can also copy areas of your desktop or windows applicationand paste them to the Whiteboard.

So what are the FAQ’s or buzzwords I need to know?

ILS – what does it stand for? And what is an ILS? In my search forthe answer to the term ILS that I have been using regularly I went tothe Internet. I came across the Institute of Lightweight Structures,Index of Learning Styles, Interlibrary Services. Hmm!!?? So let metell you what ILS’s are and what they do. ILS’s (Internet LocatorServer) are the servers that NetMeeting uses to connect call parties– think of them as a telephone exchange or more accurately a LocalArea Network. You have to be logged onto the same server as thosethat you are calling much the same as you have to be logged onto thesame LAN if you are to share and access the same files.

Also as on any network people have certain access rights. Luckilywith NetMeeting the person who elects to share their informationcan also determine whether other participants will only view theiractions or can actually operate the shared application. In NetMeetingthis is termed collaboration (or letting other people take control). Soit would be wise not to share Window’s Explorer or any other utilitythat may give participants access at the file level!

Microsoft has a few ILS servers that you may wish to try. They areusually very accessible and therefore very busy. They do have theadvantage that you can find anyone logged onto any their serversvia the “Microsoft Internet Directory”. The minus is that they canalso find you! The “Microsoft Internet Directory” is basically aweb-based interface that shows those currently online across all ofMicrosoft’s ILS servers.

Tried and Tested?

COADE, Inc. has used NetMeeting on several occasions fordemonstration and support purposes. A Houston, Texas basedNetMeeting call was used to demonstrate CADWorx/PIPE to apotential customer in Portland, Oregon. The customer installed andmade ready NetMeeting prior to the demonstration and thenassembled all interested members of the organization in a conferenceroom. The meeting lasted approximately 2 hours and it showed thepotential customer all facets of CADWorx/PIPE. The customerwas quite pleased with the demonstration. The potential customernow is a satisfied COADE customer. Therefore, NetMeeting allowsCOADE to provide full on-site demonstrations even to thosecustomers whom in-person visits are not economically viable.


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On several occasions, NetMeeting has been used for software supportissues. It has been used to demonstrate the correct procedure foraccomplishing a certain task within CADWorx/PIPE. AllCADWorx support personnel have NetMeeting running and readyto use whenever it is necessary. If support cannot be administeredover the phone or if the customer cannot understand some procedure,NetMeeting is always available.

How do I get started?

1. You have to have Windows 95/98 or NT installed.Self-explanatory.

2. Find and note down the best ILS server closest to you.To do this go to http://www.netmeet.net/homenews.htm andclick on the [Best NetMeeting ILS Server List] at http://www.netmeet.net/green.htm

3. Download NetMeeting 3.0+To do this Go to http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/ andfollow the prompts for downloading NetMeeting 3.0+ (it isabsolutely free)

4. Install and set up NetMeeting 3.0+You will be prompted for program location and NetMeetingwill test your speaker volume and microphone sensitivity

5. Set up NetMeeting to Log on to your chosen ILS server.

6. Once you are setup send the person(s) that you wish to call ane-mail telling them to log on to the same ILS server

7. Start a NetMeeting call to each of the meeting participants.

You can pick them from the ILS directory listing. Alternativelyif participants have elected not to let their information be

shown in the ILS directory (recommended) you can type intheir email address to identify them. NetMeeting uses the e-mail address as a unique identifier - makes sense – which twopeople do you know with the same e-mail address? This alsohas the advantage of keeping the participants details private.

8. Select the application and document that you wish to beviewed or shared. Then set sharing rights and the requests forsharing rights for others in the call.

Each of the call participants will see the application on theirdesktop with a tab in the top right hand corner saying “Sharedby XYZ”

9. You now have the option to accept or deny the requests of yourcolleagues to control the shared application. Initials beside thecursor will show those who currently have control of theshared application.

10. That is it. You are collaborating!

Tips

Performance (or Preserving Bandwidth)

• Pick your ILS from those recommended at http://www.netmeet.net/homenews.htm

• Use video only when you have to.

• If you do decide to use video, set your system to gray scale.And comb your hair.

• Use audio only when you feel it may help.

• If you decide to use audio use a single speaker head set andmicrophone. (It is a pain listening to your self with a half-second delay, and they only cost a few dollars.)

• Be deliberate in your speech.

• Use Chat whenever you can. (Chat is like instant e-mail.)

• Save your Chat sessions – they are good records of what wassaid.

• Use only 256 colors.

• Do not use more than a 800x600 screen resolution.

• Match the same screen resolution with those you are meetingwith.

• Be deliberate in your cursor movements. Remember that if thecursor is moving more than a couple of centimeters, it isprobably moving a few thousand kilometers.

• Try to use a Internet Service Provider with good speed. AOLat 5:00 in the afternoon is not going to work.


12

Privacy and Security

• Do not log on to the “Microsoft Internet Directory” to do yourbusiness. Every fool and his dog will be there. That is unlessyou wish to converse with fools and dogs!

• Do not tell Bill Gates that I said so.

• In NetMeeting go to the Tools/Options menu and on theGeneral tab select “Do not show my name in the directorylisting”. This will stop anybody interrupting your call andkeep your information away from prying eyes. Only those thatknow that you are logged on will be able to contact you.

• Do not turn over your shared application to anyone that youcannot trust.

• Trust no one!

Until next time, good luck and happy sharing!

Automatic On-Line RegistrationBy: Richard Ay

The latest versions of CAESAR II, PV Elite, CODECALC, andTANK all provide for automatic on-line registration. The “on-lineregistration” is designed to set a flag in the System Registry so thatit is only displayed once, regardless of whether you register or not.Subsequent access to this option is via the “Help” menu. Eventhough you may have registered a previous version, this is anoption, for you, to insure we have up to date phone, fax, and e-mailcontact information. The software sets the Registry flag expresslyto avoid bothering users - the prompt to register is designed to bedisplayed only once.

What do we use this information for? There are two main purposes:a) development of an e-mail data base to notify users when a newupdate is available for download from the web site, and b) as abackup for contacting users for support issues. COADE supportsmany users who call or fax with support questions. Often times,there is no return contact information on the fax, or the return faxnumber is incorrect, or missing country information, or the phonenumber provided is incorrect. Alternate contact information insureswe can respond in a timely fashion. It is to your advantage toregister the software and provide all requested contact data. COADEnever sells this contact information, nor uses it for any otherpurpose.

If the “on-line registration” dialog continues to pop up, then forsome reason the software is not able to set the flag in the SystemRegistry, or the registry is not responding properly. (Do you haverights to your registry?) You can do this manually as outlinedbelow. Note, if you have never modified or viewed the SystemRegistry before, get someone who has. If you foul this up, youcould seriously cripple your machine.

• From the “Start” button, select the “Run” menu option.

• In the edit box, type in command “regedit”, without the quotes

• When the program comes up, click on the “+” symbol next toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

• Next, click on the “+” symbol next to SOFTWARE

• Next, click on the “+” symbol next to COADE, Inc.

• Finally, click on the “+” symbol next to CAESAR II, PV Elite,CODECALC, or TANK

Under this registry key, you may see several folder icons. Click onthe icon for the current version of the software you are using, tomake it current. Now you have to add the registry key that controlsthe “on-line registration”.

• From the “Edit” menu, select New,

• then pick “DWORD value”

• type in the name of the string, in this case the word“Registration”, without the quotes. Press [Enter].

At this point, you should see the new string in the right hand pane ofthe REGEDIT dialog box, although it doesn’t have a value yet.Since this new string has the focus, just press [Enter] again to openup a dialog where you can set its value. In the edit box that comesup, enter 1 and press [Enter] again.

You can now exit REGEDIT by clicking on the “X” in the upperright hand corner of the REGEDIT window. This should take careof the problem. The figure below shows the registry tree forCAESAR II Version 4.10, and the registration flag.

If the problem continues to occur, then try deleting the registry entrycompletely, starting at the CAESAR II, PV Elite, CODECALC,or TANK level. Delete this entire part of the tree. The softwarewill rebuild this the next time you start up (which means you willget the registration prompt again). You should be able to answer“NO” to the prompt, and it should write the registry entry.


13

API-650 Differences between 9th

and 10th EditionsBy: Richard Ay

This article discusses the changes made to API-650 between the 9th

and 10th editions. These changes deal solely with the computationalaspects of API-650 and how they impact the software implementationof the code in COADE products. Note, this should by no means beconsidered a complete list of all of the differences between thesetwo editions.

The most noticeable change in the 10th edition is the incorporationof dual units. The API-650 code now supports customary U.S.units, as well as SI units. All tables are presented in both unitssystems, and all equations are provided in both U.S. and SI forms.

Additional changes made in this edition of the code are listed belowby section.

Sect 2.2.4 Material Fe-430 has been changed to E-275.Similarly, material Fe-510 has been changed toE-355.

Table 2-3 This table has been broken into Table 2-3a andTable 2-3b, to support SI and U.S. units.Additionally, material references to Fe-430 havebeen changed to E-275, and Fe-510 have beenchanged to E-355.

Sect 3.6.1.1 This table now includes thicknesses down to5mm.

Table 3-2 All material names have an “M” appended tothem. Additionally, material A-841 has beendropped from this table (but this material is stillincluded in Table 2-3b).

Sect 3.10.2.5.3 The equation for the maximum area of a frangiblejoint has been modified slightly, the constanthas been changed.

*Sect 3.10.5.1 The equation provided in U.S. customary unitsfor the minimum thickness of self-supportingcone roofs is incorrect. This printing of thecode used the SI constant in the U.S. form of theequation.

Sect 3.10.6.1 Added a statement that the minimum thicknessis exclusive of corrosion requirements.

Sect 3.11.4 This is a new section to cover the sliding of tanksdue to wind.

Sect E.8.4 This is a new section to cover the sliding of tanksdue to earthquake.

*Sect F.4.2 The equation for Pmax

now divides the first termby D3, while previous editions divided by D2.This is assumed to be a mistake in the new codesince it was not called out as a change.

Sect G.4.1.3 This is a new section covering the local bucklingof aluminum dome roofs.

Sect S-1 This table has been broken into Table S-1a andTable S-1b, to support SI and U.S. units.

The “Year 2000” IssueBy: Richard Ay

Everyone is aware of the “year 2000” (Y2K) problem, which couldaffect many computer systems at the turn of the century. COADE iscontacted daily by current customers concerned about COADEsoftware products and their ability to handle the “year 2000”. SinceMarch of 1997, COADE products have been Y2K compliant (seethe article on this subject on the COADE web site at http://www.coade.com/genarticles/year2000.htm).

Many COADE users have also performed their own testing for Y2Kproblems. This entails setting the computer date forward andrunning the software. Utilizing the software with several of thesefuturistic dates shows that indeed there are no problems. Be awarehowever, that COADE software always writes the time and date ofthe last software use back to the ESL (External Software Lock).This ESL date data is checked each time the software is started. Ifthe time/date value of the computer is earlier than the value storedon the ESL, the software assumes the computer has been back-dated, and generates fatal error #5100. Further use of the softwareis prevented when this happens. The remedy for this situation is togenerate the remote ESL fax codes and send them to COADE(either by fax or e-mail) and request reauthorization codes to resetthe time/date values on the ESL.

The Y2K problem can affect other software also. Just because oneor two applications check out doesn’t necessarily mean somethingelse won’t cause a problem. Microsoft has been continuouslyupdating the Y2K information on their web site,http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/. Anyone using Microsoftproducts, including the operating system should regularly checkthis site for updated information.

There are updates available from Microsoft’s web site to addressthe Y2K issue for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT.You should insure your operating system is as up to date as yourapplication software.


14

Hinges, Ball-Joints, & Frictionin CAESAR II

By: David Diehl

Introduction

Over the last few months I have fielded a series of user queries onthe proper modeling of flexible joint assemblies in CAESAR II.For most situations, the program’s automated expansion jointmodeler readily addresses these issues. These specific questions,however, brought up advanced issues that are not covered in ourdocumentation – specifically, the break-free moment to start motionin these joints and also the long-outstanding issue of (large) elementrotation or linkage nature of the element between the two hinges inthe assembly, (see Figure 1). This linkage issue is one that I haveoften (unsuccessfully) pondered. I should also note that in two ofthe three queries, the accuracy and manageability of CAESAR IIwas explicitly called into question – associates of the users presentingthe questions believed CAESAR II cannot “do” these calculationscorrectly. Such talk challenged me once again to review theseissues and instigated this article. I propose that with the modelspresented here – by using unique CAESAR II model components –you cannot do it much better.

Figure 1

User 1 – Modeling Hinge Friction

The basic idea with hinge friction in a ball joint or similar hingesystem is that there is some moment that must be exceeded beforethe hinge starts to rotate. Once rotation begins, no additional load isrequired. Correspondence provided by this user indicated a brute-force method to satisfy this requirement. A hinged expansion jointis defined in the model with arbitrary hinge stiffness. The analysisis run and the internal bending moment at the hinge is compared tothe defined “break-free” moment. If the load in the results is higherthan this friction moment, the stiffness is reduced and the analysis isrun again. If the internal load is low, the stiffness is increased. A

consultant to this CAESAR II user implied that this iterativeapproach is difficult and error-prone. I agree. Since the resultinginternal load is also a function of the joint rotation, each load casemust be individually modeled.

Back in Version 3.0 (April 1990) we added bi-linear restraints (X2,RX2, etc.) to CAESAR II, (see Figure 2). Today these are mostoften used to model the elastic/plastic response of soil but theseboundary conditions (defining a stiffness relationship between anode in the system and “earth”) can also be defined between twonodes in the system. The key here is the NODE/CNODE pair, (seeFigure 3). Instead of modeling the hinge as an expansion joint,“simply” define the joint as a group of six individual restraints withCNODE’s defined. Five of the six restraints will be rigid (acrossthe NODE/CNODE pair) and the sixth will be this bi-linear rotationalrestraint. The initial stiffness (K1) will be rigid. The joint will goflexible (K2=1) when the break-free load (Fy) is reached. No moreiteration is required. If the internal moment is less than the jointfriction, it will not rotate. If the load is big enough, the joint willrotate and carry the friction load.

Figure 2

Figure 3

I guess I got a little too excited a few sentences ago. What I shouldhave said is, if the axis of rotation is known, no iteration is required.If true, mechanical hinges exist, the bi-linear restraint axis is known.Or, for a ball joint model, if the system is planar (e.g. all piperunning in the X and Y direction) the axis of rotation is obviouslyperpendicular to that plane (here, Z). But what about a ball jointmodel that exists in a three dimensional (3D) system? The axis


15

about which the joint bends is not clearly defined and, since the totalbreak-free friction must be defined about one axis, both non-torsionalaxes cannot be used. So for 3D systems the axis about which thejoint bends must be determined before the friction model can bebuilt.

Here is the step-by-step process that resulted from the work withUser 1:

A few givens:

• No matter the source of the load, no rotation will occur in theball joint until the moment reaches a certain “break-free”magnitude, say 4000 N-m.

• Although defining pipe properties between two nodes is themost common means of defining the structural relationshipbetween these nodes, other ways to relate nodes exist inCAESAR II. An expansion joint could be modeled betweenthe two nodes or a (relative) restraint could define this nodalrelationship by specifying a “NODE/CNODE” pair in theCAESAR II restraint definition.

• CAESAR II has a bilinear, rotational restraint model –“RX2(a,b,c)”– that models this break-free effect about thegiven axis (a,b,c). Let K1 default to rigid, set K2 to 1 and setFy to the break-free moment where the joint stiffness changesfrom K1 to K2. With this definition, the two nodes will notrotate in relation to each other until this Fy (or My of 4000 N-m) is met, after which the rotation is (essentially) free.

• The other 5 degrees of freedom must also be addressed in thisNODE/CNODE restraint definition – the three translationterms (X, Y, Z) and the two rotational vectors perpendicularto that (a,b,c) axis of rotation. We chose to set them all rigid.

• The one problem is setting the axis (a,b,c) about which thenode pair rotates. That’s handled below. The remaining tworotational axes are set by the axis of the pipe around the balljoint and the vector perpendicular to that (a,b,c) and the pipeaxis.

• The vector cross product (a,b,c) and the pipe axis will definethat third rotational axis. I find it easy to use the programMathCAD to perform this cross-product operation.

The only uncertainty in this model is in setting the axis about whichthis ball joint rotates. We assumed that, as long as the loads didn’tchange, the ball joint would rotate about the same axis no matterwhat the break-free moment happened to be. The simplest break-free load is zero. An analysis was made with no break-free load –a pinned joint, defined with three rigid translational restraints andone rigid torsional restraint at each NODE/CNODE pair. Thevector about which each free ball joint rotates (a,b,c) will be usedto set the axis about which the loaded ball joint will rotate. We

chose the “operating” case to set this axis and the axis is determinedby the differences in the rotations of the two ends of the ball joint.For example, if nodes 1 and 2 are the ends of the individual joint,then (a,b,c) is set to (rx1-rx2, ry1-ry2, rz1-rz2). Use this (a,b,c)vector to define the bi-linear rotational restraint (RX2) as definedabove. Place the sixth, and final, rigid restraint definition as thecross product of the (a,b,c) vector and the axis of the pipe – theresulting vector will be perpendicular to the axis of rotation andperpendicular to the pipe.

If the ball joints still rotate about the set (a,b,c) axis, there shouldbe no load on this sixth rotational restraint in this NODE/CNODEpair and the total resultant moment should not exceed the break-free load. If the total load is less than the break-free moment, thenthere should be no rotation between the NODE & CNODE. If thetotal, resultant moment at the ball joint exceeds the break-freemoment, the other, non-axial, rotational restraint is (incorrectly)carrying load. This indicates that the axis of rotation needsadjustment. With other nonlinear effects such as gaps on guidesand friction, I am not surprised that this would occur.

Although I cannot state it would yield a more conservative result,you may also try running the model without the other two(perpendicular) rotational restraints. Instead of checking themodel by examining the resultant moment, you can check therelative rotation between the NODE/CNODE pair. If the resultingvector shifts, you may have to update your input with these newdata.

Separate analyses are required for each load combination examinedsince, again, the vector about which the ball joint rotates is afunction of these loads.

User 2 – Benchmarking the Model

One of our European dealers brought up this issue two months afterthat first break-free question came up. There was no finger pointinghere. His user was going to take the iterative stiffness approach andwanted to know if we had any better ideas. What made this querysignificant to the issue at hand was the reference to the Barco BallJoints catalog. Barco has since sold its ball joint components toHyspan1 . The new catalog is titled Series 6500 Hyspan Barco BallJoints Catalog 1000C. Our dealer provided me with the catalogdata that sets these friction moments. In addition, this catalogworked through an example of these load calculations. I now hadmy benchmark to test my approach. More importantly, the examplewent on to calculate (again, by hand) the assembly’s “mechanicalmotion” (transverse deflection due to rotation). Once again I wasreminded of this unsettled issue in CAESAR II.

1 Contact Hyspan Precision Products at (619) 421-1355 in ChulaVista California for your local representative. Visit their web siteat www.hyspan.com.


16

Here’s the Hyspan/Barco example – addressing the break-freemoment only. This example is simpler than the User 1 question inthat it is planar; the X displacement causes the Y run piping to rotateabout the Z axis at both ball joints. The break-free moment (referredto as Flex Torque in the catalog) for a 10-inch steam line (at 375psi) is listed as 5400 ft-lbf.2 This value is used in defining therelationship between the two nodes on either side of the ball joints(20-30 and 50-60). The rotational restraint is rigid until this load isreached and then the joint goes plastic. Here, K1 is left blank(rigid), K2 is set to 1, and Fy equals 64800 (in-lbf). Figure 4 showsthe Hyspan/Barco example and my simplified model for thiscomparison. In order to isolate the hinge action, I have reduced themodel to eliminate the effects of elbow flexibility and deadweight.The thermal growth of the 200-foot length of pipe is replaced by anequivalent 6-inch displacement of the top end of the simplifiedmodel. For comparison, end displacements of 1 and 3 inches arealso analyzed.

Figure 4

As you can see by the results in Table 1, no matter what displacementis provided at the top end, the ball joints carry the same load of 5400ft-lbf. These ball joints are installed to increase system flexibilityand reduce (thermal) thrust loads. Here our end loads match thecatalog example values of 2700 lbf at each end. It is left to thereader to confirm that if the end displacement is replaced with aforce, the joints will only rotate if the entered thrust load exceeds2700 lbf.

2 The catalog lists approximate values for Flex Torque. The load-carrying capability of the joint is a function of service, pressure,sealant, and bolt-up tightness. Consult the factory for specificvalues. Also, the break-free moment in torsion may be 50% higherthan these bending values. For this article, torsion resistance isapproximated as rigid or fully flexible.

Table 1

End Displ. (δx) Hinge Rot. (φz) Hinge Mom. (Mz) End Load (Fx) End Displ. (δy)

1 in. 1.1756 deg. 5400 ft-lbf 2700 lbf 0 in.



The Hyspan/Barco example goes on to calculate the “mechanicalmotion” of the assembly. This mechanical motion is the swingeffect of the link between the ball joints pulling the long pipe in thetransverse direction, (see Figure 1c). The 4-foot link will pull theline 0.375 inches off its axis for the 7-degree rotation. The lastcolumn in Table 1 shows the calculated offset for each case. As youcan see, CAESAR II does not show any offset at all.

My response to User 2 was quick. I simply repackaged my answerto User 1. But I also started fooling around with the linkage model.

User 3 – Program Accuracy with Large Rotation

I was destined to write this article. Just a few weeks ago anotheruser asked for our response to a vendor’s statement that hinge jointsin pipe stress analysis programs make the results “unreliable.”

Here is my response:

The expansion joint manufacturer is wise in bringing yourattention to the issue of hinge joints in a pipe stress analysisprogram such as CAESAR II. But it is not true to statecategorically that the results are not reliable – they may beunreliable but a quick check of the results will allow you todetermine whether or not you can use the numbers.

CAESAR II (like all other pipe stress programs I know of)uses a simple beam stiffness model to relate load anddisplacement (F = kx). This relationship is established by theinitial layout of the pipe – for example the end-to-endrelationship of a vertical run of pipe is very stiff in the verticaldirection while the same end-to-end relationship of a horizontalrun of pipe is (relatively) flexible in the vertical direction.Again, this relationship is set by the initial layout. If a piperotates for some reason, the stiffness matrix will not beupdated to reflect the modified relationship of the two ends.For this reason, concepts such as “second order effects” and“large” rotation become issues.

It is true, CAESAR II may have trouble properly analyzinglinkages or systems with large rotation. A simple example isa universal tied expansion joint – the center spool will simplyextend its length with no associated axial load as the two endsare offset laterally. If the rotation is small, this “error” is smalland the results are not invalid. However, if the rotation islarge, the results are unacceptable.


17

So what is “large”? That depends on the spool length and theexpansion joint axial stiffness. I think the absolute error in theexpansion joint load should be calculated approximately (foran untied expansion joint) as:

Error = spool length (1 - cos theta) kaxial

So obviously for this configuration, the error increases withspool length and angle – small angles/small lengths may beOK.

However, for a tied universal joint, the absolute error in the tierod load (and therefore in the pipe) should be approximately:

Error = tierod length [1/(cos theta) - 1] ktierods

This varies with the tie rod length and stiffness. For a single8-foot long, ½” diameter tie rod (stiffness of 60,000 poundsper inch), with a one-degree angle, this comes out to 875pounds. Is this significant? Probably not. When does itbecome so? Hard to say.

I have been working with a unique restraint model inCAESAR II that may get us around this problem. It’s the rodmodel. I believe you can run a rigid rod model between twohinges to remove this unloaded strain. I might have somethingto say about this in an upcoming newsletter article.

The question, then, is how big are your rotations and what’sthe distance between the hinges?

The Problem

So now the problem is set. As a pipe rotates about a hinge, the otherend swings through an arc. This linkage causes the axial movementof the far hinge to pull the pipe in the transverse direction, (seeFigure 1c). CAESAR II cannot simulate this pull with its stiffnessmatrix approach to piping. The stiffness model is based upon theinitial piping layout. We will call this the neutral position. Therelationship between loads and displacements is set by this neutralposition stiffness. The stiffness matrix defines the X displacementfor an X load at the end of the hinged run but it does not define thesecondary Y displacement, (see Figure 1b). It’s as if you take astiffness snapshot of the initial layout. For a very small X load,there will be a given X displacement and no measurable Ydisplacement. The stiffness model is not updated with the newposition of the link. Instead the relationship remains set by theinitial configuration, and as the X load increases, the X displacementincreases and no Y displacement or load is developed. Only aniterative method would work here where the model layout is updatedto include the most recent rotation of the link. The new orientationof the link will reset the stiffness matrix and provide for the addeddeflection in the Y direction in the next analysis. This is somethingno one wants to do by hand.

Rod Model is the Key

But this sort of iterative method is found in CAESAR II’s nonlinearrestraint model. You set the conditions of the restraint, the programruns the analysis, checks the conditions and, if these conditions arenot met, the program updates the stiffness matrix (and/or loadvector) to adjust for these conditions and runs the model again.This is common for +Y restraints, restraint gaps, friction and (hereit is!…) large-rotation rod models. A typical directional restraintdefines a plane of motion. For example, a Y restraint allows motionin the horizontal plane. A YROD model, on the other hand, allowsspherical motion about the pivot point of the rod. This nonlinearrestraint – the rod model – is what we need to associate an offsetwith a deflection. If we incorporate the rod model in our “linkage”model, CAESAR II will do this iteration for us.

Years ago when Dan Edgar of Pathway and Tony Paulin (theoriginal author of CAESAR II) developed the CAESAR IIautomated expansion joint modeler, we were aware of this linkageissue and the rod model was available but we could not build acomplete model that answered this issue. I have tried several timessince then to make it work with no success. And why not? The rodloaded up the existing spool piece. I now realize that the samestiffness matrix that didn’t give the transverse displacementdeveloped a huge load on the spool piece when the rod modelpulled the pipe in the transverse direction, compressing the spoolpiece. What did I do differently this time? I removed the axialstiffness of that connecting pipe. I did this by defining an artificialslip joint in the linkage piping. Now the only shortcoming to thismodel is that the rod model eliminates any thermal growth of thespool piece. I can live with that.

The Barco Example Revisited

The Barco catalog refers to this transverse displacement – my so-called linkage displacement – as mechanical motion. Handcalculations are straightforward. An approximation for this offset(D) is D = E2/2L where E is the total expansion carried by theassembly and L is the distance between the hinges3 . Here, with a 6-inch growth and a 4-foot spool piece, the Barco example shows amechanical motion of 0.375 inches. This deflection will be importantin setting the minimum distance to the first guide. The catalogexample uses a simplified form of the guided cantilever equationfor stress. To develop this deflection in the CAESAR II model, runa YROD model over the top of the spool piece using the same nodesas the spool piece in the NODE/CNODE pair. Be sure to get thesign right. A YROD and +YROD are identical and indicate the

3 The exact equation is from the Pythagorean Theorem:L2 = (L-D) 2+E2. This expands to 0 = -2LD+D2+E2. The resultingD2, being small, is dropped to simplify the final equation for D.


18

pivot point is above the restrained node (the CNODE is above theNODE) while a -YROD model has the pivot below the restrainednode. The spool piece is updated by adding a zero-length expansionjoint at its midpoint. This expansion joint will have an axialstiffness of 1 and all the other stiffnesses set to big numbers (1E12).Leave the Effective ID blank, (see Figure 5). Once again tounclutter the model, I simplified it eliminating the 200-foot run andreplacing it with a 6-inch deflection at the end of the ball jointassembly. Once again, I have included a 1-inch and 3-inch enddeflection as well.

Figure 5

Table 2

EndDispl.(δx)

Hinge Rot.(φz)

HingeMom.(Mz)

EndLoad(Fx)

End Displ.(δy)

1 in. 1.1756 deg. 5400 ft-lbf 2700 lbf -0.0102 in.



Except for the end displacements, the results of the updated model(Table 2) are identical to the original ball joint model. The jointswork the same. But now the transverse displacement matches thehand calculations.

Closing

It works. So, if you think CAESAR II is unreliable in thesesituations or requires tedious iterations you may want to try this.Keep in mind, though, that you can run the simple model first anduse the error calculations developed for User 2 above. If the error isunacceptable, go ahead and try this model.

The data files developed for this article are available on COADE’sweb site in the file Barco.zip. The contents of this file are describedin Table 3.

Table 3

Model Name Description Components

Barco Simple Barco assemblyproducing Table 1( no YROD)

RZ2,displacements

Barco Simple Force Barco assemblywith appliedforces

RZ2, forces

Barco1 Analysis ofcomplete Barcoexample

RZ2

Barco Simple Y Barco assemblyproducing Table 2(with YROD)

RZ2, Exp.Joint, YROD,displ.

Barco2 Analysis ofcomplete Barcoexample

RZ2, Exp.Joint, YROD

Break-free moments for hinge or ball joints are modeled using thebilinear rotational restraint. The line of action for this rotationalrestraint is defined by the pin orientation in the hinge assembly. Forball joints, where the axis of rotation is not obvious, an initial runmay be required to orient this line of action. When working with“large rotation”, the inaccuracies of the CAESAR II beam modelcan be estimated using the equations listed here and if they aresignificant, the model can be updated to incorporate the “arc oftravel” of the rotating element. A combination of two componentsmake this possible - the YROD restraint connecting the two ends ofthe “link” and the slip joint element inserted in the link run. Quite agrab bag of odd components but I’m pleased to say it works. (Olddog / new tricks.) It works for two hinges, now how about a three-hinge assembly?


19

PC Hardware/Software for theEngineering User [Part 27]

By: Richard Ay

With the release of Windows 95, Microsoft abandoned the use ofthe SYSTEM.INI file concept to hold and maintain system andsoftware configuration data. In lieu of the SYSTEM.INI file, theSystem Registry was born. The System Registry is a hierarchicaldata base that maintains these same configuration settings. Userscan view and modify the System Registry using the REGEDIT.EXEapplication, found in c:\windows (for Windows 95 & 98) or c:\winnt(for Windows NT).

A word of caution is necessary here, it is imperative that extremecare be exercised when using REGEDIT. A mistake here couldprevent the system from properly starting up!

As the previous article indicated, software applications utilize theregistry for a wide variety of reasons. The operating system alsouses the registry extensively. A few of the more important registryitems you may want to modify are discussed below.

• The Icon Cache: The registry key is:“hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\…” Click on the “explorer” entry in the leftpane, and you will see an entry in the right pane for “MaxCached Icons”. Increasing this value provides more systemmemory for the maintenance and display of program icons onthe desktop.

If the system icons are corrupted, the only way to recover is todelete the icon cache file, C:\WINNT\ShellIconCache. To dothis, you must shut down all programs running on yourmachine, then

1. Start the MS-DOS Command Prompt.

2. Start the Task Manager by doing CTRL ALT DEL andhitting the Task Manger Button

3. Go to the Process Tab and Stop all instances Explorer.exe

4. At the Command Prompt change the file’s attribute fromhidden and delete the file

5. C:\> attrib C:\WINNT\shelliconcache -h

6. C:\> del C:\WINNT\shelliconcache

7. CTRL ALT DEL and choose Shutdown and reboot yoursystem

• Hidden Startup Items: Often times software will beautomatically started when the system boots. A search of the“startup folder” does not show the presence of the application,how does this happen? Application can also be started via theregistry. The key is: “hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\windows\current version\run\…”. Applicationswhich start at boot time will be listed here, and can be deletedif desired.

• Windows NT crashes: You can force NT to automaticallyreboot after a crash by setting the value of“HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\CrashControl\AutoReboot” to 1. Once you’ve changed thisvalue, NT will reboot after writing the crash log file.

Registry maintenance is becoming more of an issue. On Windows95 systems, the registry is limited to 64k in size. After manyinstallations and de-installations of application software, the registrycan have orphan entries, just taking up space. Microsoft hasrecognized this and released a maintenance program which willautomatically clean up the registry. This application isREGCLEAN.EXE, and cleans up the registry, by deletingunnecessary entries.

Before using REGCLEAN, it would be wise to make a backup copyof your current registry, just in case. This backup copy of theregistry can be created as follows:

• Click on the Windows [Start] button.

• Move up to the [Run] option and click it.

• In the edit box, type in “regedit”, without the quotes

• Once REGEDIT starts, pull down the “registry” menu.

• Select “export registry file” from the menu.

• Pick a directory to store the file, and specify a file name. Agood place to store this file is c:\backup, and a good namewould be the date with a “.reg” suffix, i.e.c:\backup\apr15_99.reg.

Now you have a backup copy of the registry, that could beimplemented using the “import registry file” option.


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CAESAR II Notices

Listed below are those errors & omissions in the CAESAR IIprogram that have been identified since the last newsletter. Thesecorrections are available for download from our WEB site. Unlessotherwise stated, all of these changes and corrections are containedin the 990507 build.

1) AISC Structural Unity Checker: Corrected structural unitycheck computation for single angles.

2) Analysis Setup: Corrected a problem where reviewingspectrum data points zeroed out the data.

• Corrected a problem with the “spectrum load case” and“static/dynamic” input grid where entries were blanked.

• Corrected a problem which prevented users from reusingnegative direction cosines.

• Corrected scan of _a (input) file for units used for windtables when the job contained uniform loads.

• Removed an artificial data size limit on dynamic data.

• Corrected the units display on several dynamic inputdialogs. This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

3) Structural Input Processor: Corrected condition where theplot tool bar icons where toggled backwards.

• Corrected a problem where maximizing the window didnot resize the structural image.

• Modified several low level graphics routines for speedimprovements.

4) Dynamic Output Module: Added a number of “printer”defaults, for the case when a machine does not have a printerinstalled. This allows viewing the output on screen.

• Corrected a data conversion problem in the input echoroutine which displayed erraneous data for pressurevalues 3-9. This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

5) Intergraph Interface: Corrected the translation of bendelements at the end of the element list.

6) Miscellaneous Analysis Module: Corrected a memoryinitialization problem, which crashed the help system.

• Corrected acquisition of load case name from staticoutput file.

• Corrected a problem where the #3 key on the numeric padcould not be used in some instances.

7) Static Stress Computation Module: Corrected a memoryallocation error for the BS-7159 allowable arrays.

8) Static Output Module: Added a number of “printer” defaults,for the case when a machine does not have a printer installed.This allows viewing the output (list box

• Corrected the title presentation on the restraint summaryreport for pages 2 and up

• Corrected a memory structure to prevent the loss of thetwo line output report title

• Corrected the “4 view” option to work properly in thestatic output.

• Corrected a problem with the (input) highlight optionwhich caused the request to occasionally fail.

• Corrected a data conversion problem in the input echoroutine which displayed erraneous data for pressurevalves 3-9. This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

• Corrected a redraw problem which caused graphics printrequests to snap to the center of the model. This error wascorrected in the 990617 build.

• Corrected an error in jobs containing only predefinedspring hangers - which caused the hanger report to beempty. This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

9) Piping Error Checker: An error was discovered in thecomputation of the thickness used for the effective sectionmodulus calculation when the computed SIF value was lessthan 1.0. The computation of Ts was performed before the SIFvalue was reset to 1.0. This error was corrected in the 4.10release.

• Corrected an error in the application of pressure stiffeningto B31.1 bends. If the configuration directive “IncludePressure Stiffening” was set to “yes”, the pressurestiffening correction was applied twice.

• Corrected the test for T3-T9 and P2-P9 existance to avoidthe omission of temperatures and pressures from theavailable load list.

• Corrected abort routine to avoid access violation on exit.

• Corrected an error which copied force vector 7 into forcevectors 8 and 9. This error was corrected in the 990617build.

10) Piping Input Module: Corrected the “bend” check box toavoid crash/lockup when plotting with the spreadsheetdisplayed, or viewing the extended operating cases.

• Corrected the display (activation) of the “R1/R2” fieldsfor tees when using the TD/12 piping code.

• Corrected the “tab” order of the edit boxes on the springhanger auxiliary dialog.


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• Corrected the input echo to include P1 and P2 as well asuniform loads specified in g’s.

• Corrected the “paste” operation in the restraint LIST.

• Corrected a problem in the “bend” LIST which preventedthe modification of existing data.

• Corrected a problem on the “special execution options”dialog where changing data modified the setting of theband width optimizer.

• Corrected the fly-out tool tip help text for fluid andinsulation densities, which were reversed.

• Corrected the setup of the “Include Piping Files” dialogto work with data strings from older jobs that did notinclude a space between data items.

• Corrected the FileOpen dialog to allow typing in a newjob name without the “._a” suffix.

• Corrected a problem specifying spring hanger tables,which limited the selection to the basic tables. Alternatedesign options were prevented by the LIST processor.This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

11) Equipment Module: Corrected acquisition of load casename from static output file.

• Corrected initial screen size so the “Get_Loads” buttoncan be seen without resizing.

• The NEMA-SM23 routine switched the inlet/exhaustoffset distances each time the data was saved (whichoccurs with each analysis).

• Corrected the coordinate transformation (to localcoordinates) of the inlet MX value for NEMA-SN23.This error was corrected in the 990617 build.

12) WRC-107 Module: Corrected a data initialization problemin the stress summation routine. This was only a problem if theinput data was revised and rerun in the same session.

• Corrected acquisition of load case name from staticoutput file.

• Corrected initial screen size so the “Get_Loads” buttoncan be seen without resizing.

• On Windows 95/98 machines, a memory limitationprevented the complete report (stress summation) frombeing displayed in the on-screen list box.

13) Dynamic Stress Computation Module: Corrected an erroraccessing the “cyclic reduction factors” for temperature cases4-9 when determining dynamic allowable stresses. This errorwas corrected in the 990617 build.

TANK Notices

Listed below are those errors & omissions in the TANK programthat have been identified since the last newsletter. These correctionsare available for download from our WEB site.

1) TANK.EXE - This is the Main Menu and Input Module. Anumber of corrections have been made to this module, aslisted below. All of these corrections were posted to the website in the 990413 build.

• Corrected the transfer of shell course height and overalltank height from the sizing scratch-pad to the general datadialog.

• Corrected the version number when printing the inputecho.

• Corrected the printing of the sizing scratchpad results.

• Corrected the directory name for Adobe Acrobat Readerinstallation.

• Corrected the name on “seismic input tab #2” from “On-Line Registration” to “Anchor Bolt Data”.

• Corrected several “menu status bar text” items.

• Corrected the acquisition of stainless steel allowablesfrom the material data base for new jobs.

• Corrected access to the solution message (TXT) file fromthe menu.

CODECALC Notices

Listed below are those errors & omissions in the CODECALCprogram that have been identified since the last newsletter. Thesecorrections are available for download from our WEB site.

1) Input Processor: The component analysis module was notstoring the material occurrence number and now does so.

2) Nozzle Analysis: The ANSI B16.5 pressure/temperatureratings were in accordance with the previous version of B16.5and were updated.

3) ThinJoint Module: The program computed the cycle of theexpansion joint when it may not have been limited by cyclelife.

4) Leg Analysis Module: The program produced a conservativeAISC unity check on angle legs in some cases.


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5) Materials: The TEMA numbers for some SB-171 wererevised.

6) Floating Head Input: An error involving the computation ofthe distance from the flange centroid to the head centerlinewhen the distance from flange top to flange/head centerlinewas corrected.

7) General Analysis: The program attempted to write to unit 0and would abort with a run time error.

PV Elite Notices

Listed below are those errors & omissions in the PV Elite programthat have been identified since the last newsletter. These correctionsare available for download from our WEB site.

1) The notices mentioned above (for CODECALC) also existedin the component analysis module.

2) For vessels with spherical heads and stiffeners, the "L"dimension did not include 1/3 of the head depth for that endsection.

3) The allowable for discontinuity stresses did not include thecircumferential joint efficiency. This occurred in the conicalcalculations.

4) The program was producing conservative results when forceswere entered in above the element centroid.


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Download this free units conversion utility from the COADE web site.

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