Z. F.

Sang
L. Li
Y. J. Zhou
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Nanjing University of Chemical Technology,
Nanjing, P.R. China
G. E. 0. Widera
Department of Mechanical and
Industrial Engineering,
Marquette University,
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, Wl 53201-1881
Effect of Gap Between Pad
and Vessel for Moment Loading
on Nozzle
The purpose of this paper is to present a study of the effect of a geometric gap
between the cylindrical shell and reinforcement pad on the local stresses in the area
of the intersection when the nozzle is subjected to moment loading. Experimental and
finite element analyses were performed on two test vessels (four nozzles). A compara-
tive study of stresses in the intersection region for different geometric gaps was also
carried out.
Introduction
A pad-type reinforcement structure is an important type of
local reinforcement in pressure vessels and piping connec-
tions because of its simple form, convenient manufacture,
low cost, and rich application experience. As a result, it is
widely used for applications with low or medium pressure,
especially those with small fluctuations in pressure and tem-
perature. For the design of the reinforcement pad, the current
design code (see, for example, ASME, 1989) states a specific
rule. However, only the design method is given; it does not
provide the technique for calculating the stresses in the rein-
forcement region. As a result, the distribution and the magni-
tudes of the local stresses induced by the geometric disconti-
nuity and the loading due to this reinforcement is not known.
As for loads, the design code only considers the effect of
internal pressure. But, in fact, such loadings as axial thrust,
moments, twist, and shear on the nozzle are usually applied to
pressure vessels, process equipment, or piping connections.
Besides, designers require that manufacturers keep a perfect
contact between the reinforcement pad and cylinder during
the fabrication of the vessel to ensure that it has the ability
to carry the various loadings as required. But, for a variety
of reasons, perfect contact cannot be kept between cylinder
and pad and, thus, a gap results. The effect of the gap on the
stresses in the nozzle-reinforcement region is a matter of
common interest to both designers and manufacturers.
The stress analysis of the reinforcement pad structure rep-
resents a complicated problem. Research is mostly focused
on the analysis of spherical shells with radial nozzles. Soli-
man and Gill (1978) and Oikawa and Oka (1987) carried
out research on the reinforcement pad structure of such shells
by both theoretical and finite element (FEM) analyses. Other
researchers (Chao et al., 1986) also presented valuable re-
sults for the design and analysis of the reinforcement pad
structure. Bulletins WRC 107 (1979) and WRC 297 (1984)
are the two most authoritative design documents for analyz-
ing and calculating the local stresses in the vessel opening-
nozzle region under the action of external loads, and are
widely used. However, they do not present specific design
Contributed by the Pressure Vessels and Piping Division and presented at the
Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, Orlando, Florida, July 27- 31, 1997, of
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS . Manuscript received by the
PVP Division, May 28, 1996; revised manuscript received July 29, 1998. Associ-
ate Technical Editor: R. Seshadri.
Fig. 1 Configuration of test vessel No. 2
methods when there exists a reinforcement structure at the
nozzle intersection.
This paper presents a detailed study of the effect of a geomet-
ric gap between the cylindrical shell with radial nozzle and the
reinforcement pad on the local stresses in the area of the nozzle-
cylinder-pad intersection under the action of nozzle moments
(longitudinal and transverse). The study involves both an ex-
perimental approach as well as a finite element analysis. A
comparative study of the variation and magnitudes of the
stresses in the intersection region with different geometric gaps
is also carried out.
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology Copyright 1999 by ASME MAY 1999, Vol. 121 / 225

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Table 1 Structural dimensions of the test vessels
Vi-ssel
| N.
D
mm
L
mm mm
T
mm D.T
Nozzle
No.
(1
mm
t
mm
1
mm
T.
mm mm d.D
t./
T
CiP 9
mm
No. 1
500 800 400 8 62.5
1 100 4 170 0.2 0.5 Without
pad
No. 1
500 800 400 8 62.5
2 100 4 170 8 200 0.2 0.5 0
No. 2
500 800 400 8 62.5
3 100 4 170 8 200 0.2 0.5 2
No. 2
500 800 400 8 62.5
4 100 4 170 8 200 0.2 0.5 4
Experimental Details
Test Vessels. Two specially designed and manufactured
test vessels (No. 1 and No. 2) were used in the experiments.
The configuration of vessel No. 2 is shown in Fig. 1. Each
vessel has two diametrically opposite, protruding radial nozzles
of the same size. One of the nozzles of vessel No. 1 was not
reinforced, while the other was reinforced with a standard rein-
forcement pad; there was no geometric gap between the cylin-
drical shell and reinforcement pad. The two nozzles of vessel
No. 2 were reinforced by reinforcement pads of the same size.
The geometric gaps between the cylindrical shell and these
reinforcement pads were 2 and 4 mm, respectively. The specific
structural dimensions of the two test vessels are listed in Table
1 and shown in Fig. 2.
Chemical Composition and Properties of the Materials
Used in the Test Vessels. The materials used for each compo-
nent of the two test vessels are identical. The materials, em-
ployed, their chemical composition and mechanical properties
are summarized in Table 2.
Local Structure of Reinforcement Region. Protruding
nozzle structures with inside and outside fillet welds were used
for the four nozzles of the two test vessels. The reinforcement
pads were located on the outer surface of the cylinders. The
local structures and gaps in the reinforcement regions are shown
in Fig. 2. In order to keep the gaps uniform during fabrication,
four spacers of 2 mm and 4 mm thickness were put under the
pads and arranged evenly around the circumference of the pad;
the pads were then welded.
Test Method and Procedure. The electrical resistance
strain gage measurement method was used during the test phase
of the study. The strain gages were installed in the longitudinal
(8 = 0-180 deg) and transverse (8 = 90-270 deg) sections
of the cylinders and nozzles. The gages at each measuring point
consisted of 90 deg biaxial gages. The locations of the strain
gages in the nozzle-reinforcement region of vessel No. 2 are
shown in Fig. 3. The loads were applied to the ends of the
nozzles by a 30T separate-type hydraulic jack. The structure of
the loading setup and method are illustrated in Fig. 4. The test
( a) Without pad ( b) With pad, no gap
( c) With pad, gap=2mm ( d) With pad, gap=4mra
Fig. 2 Local structure in the nozzle-cylinder-pad region
procedure, and the instruments and data recording employed
are summarized in Sang et al. (1995).
Experimental Results. The test results indicate that no
matter what the magnitude of the geometric gap which exists
between the reinforcement pad and the cylindrical shell, the
stresses in the vessel opening-reinforcement pad region, due
to moment loading on the nozzle, possess the following be-
havior: the stress in the transverse (8 = 90-270 deg) section
of the cylinder under longitudinal moment M
L
on nozzle is
very small, it can be ignored; the maximum stress occurs in
the longitudinal (8 = 0-180 deg) section. Similarly, the
stress in the longitudinal (8 = 0-180 deg) section of cylinder
Nome nc l at ur e
D, = inside diameter of cylinder
D = average diameter of cylinder
D] = outer diameter of pad
T = thickness of cylinder
7*i = thickness of pad
L = length of cylinder
, d = inside, outside diameter of noz-
zle (d, = 100 mm, d
0
= 108
mm)
d = nominal diameter of nozzle
r = nominal radius of nozzle
t = thickness of nozzle
/ = axial length of nozzle
L, = half-length of cylinder
8 = angle around nozzle
X = distance from intersection along
cylinder
Y = distance from intersection along
nozzle
M
L
= longitudinal moment on nozzle
M
c
= transverse moment on nozzle
a
k
= impact toughness
<5, = percentage of elongation
a maximum stress
a
b
= ultimate strength
<T
S
= yield strength
o,o = circumferential stress of inner sur-
face
<7,
t
= longitudinal stress of inner surface
a
ol)
= circumferential stress of outer sur-
face
a
ox
= longitudinal stress of outer surface
226 / Vol. 121, MAY 1999 Transactions of the ASME
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Table 2 Materials and properties for the test vessels
Name of
Parts
Material
Chemical Composition % Tension Test Impact Test
Name of
Parts
Material
C SI Mn P S
At
MPa MPa %
Notch
Type
Test
Temp. Jfcm
8
Head
Cylinder
Pad
16MnR 0.19 0.39 1.48 0.027 0.020 60S 435 27.0 V Ambient
22
24
26
Nozzle 20 0.19 0.27 0.46 0.019 0.017 436 267 34.0 V Ambient
100
146
154
under transverse moment M
c
on the nozzle is very small, it
can also be ignored; the maximum stress for this loading
occurs in the transverse (0 = 90-270 deg) section. The varia-
tion of the stresses in the compression sides in the longitudi-
nal (8 = 180 deg) and transverse (6 = 90 deg) sections of
cylinder and nozzle due to a longitudinal moment M
L
= 6.27
KN-m and transverse moment M
c
= 3.14 KN-m, respec-
tively, on the nozzle are shown in Figs. 5 to 8, for each of
the four nozzles. The abscissas X, Y in the figures are the
axial distances from any point on the cylinder or nozzle to
the point of the cylinder-nozzle intersection. The ordinate is
the magnitude of the test stress.
Finite Element Analysis
Because the purpose of this paper is to determine the local
stresses in the opening-reinforcement region, a finite element
analysis with one three-dimensional 8-node brick element
through the thickness was also carried out so that, due to the
nonsymmetry of the structure when the nozzle is subjected to
the transverse moment, the whole vessel is considered in setting
up the FEM mesh. However, when the nozzle is subjected to
the longitudinal moment, only one-half of the vessel is taken.
Figure 9 shows the FEM mesh (total of 596 elements). Forces
are applied at every node of the ends of the nozzles such that
their resultant yields either a longitudinal or transverse moment
on the cylinder. Because the bottom of the test vessels was
rigidly clamped by bolts to the base plate, it is regarded as a
fixed boundary in the FEM analyses. It is worth pointing out
that both the outside and inside fillet welds of the nozzle and
cylinder, and the fillet welds of the cylinder and reinforcement
pad, are taken into account in these FEM analyses. It is thus
seen that the analysis models are not simplified ones, but are
consistent with the actual test models.
1 1
I
l > 1
01P
( a) longitudinal section ( b ) transverse section
Fig. 3 Location of the strain gages of the vessel No. 2
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology MAY 1999, Vol. 121 / 227
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Nozzle
Pressure
Senser
Hydraulic
Cylinder
longitudinal moment M,
Loading frame
Transverse moment M,
3f
' ML= 6 27 K N
^
60 ^ - - - U2 0 _ l i i - - - - ^ -
24

2 7 0
Fig. 4 Loading method
Fig. 6(a) Stresses of longitudinal section induced by ML (nozzle No. 2,
0 = 180 deg)
180 150 120 90 60 30
Fig. 6(b) Stresses of transverse section induced by Mc (nozzle No. 2,
0 = 90 deg)
Cylinder X mm
Fig. 5(a) Stresses of longitudinal section induced by ML (nozzle No. 1
0 = 180 deg)
I80 150 120 90 60 30
Fig. 7(a) Stresses of longitudinal section induced by ML (nozzle No. 3,
0 = 180 deg)
Fig. 5(b) Stresses of transverse section induced by Mc (nozzle No. 1,
0 = 90 deg)
The deformation in the nozzle-reinforcement region of nozzle
No. 4 under a longitudinal moment M
L
= 6.27 KN-m and trans-
verse moment M
c
= 3.14 KN-m are shown in Figs. 10(a) and
(b), respectively. Figures 11(a) and (b) illustrate the maxi-
mum principle stress variation in the compression sides (8 =
180 deg, 9 = 90 deg) of the vessel opening-reinforcement re-
gion induced by a longitudinal moment M
L
= 6.27 KN-m and
transverse moment M
c
= 3.14 KN-m, respectively, for nozzle
No. 4 (geometric gap between the cylindrical shell and rein-
forcement pad is 4 mm), respectively. Figures 11(a) and (b)
indicate that the stresses in the pad-reinforced cylinders and
150 120 90 60 3Q
200
200
150
150
100 100
M
P
a

50
0
-50
r ^
/
S
t
r
e
s
s

50
0
-50
X
-100 -100
> .
-150 -150
-200 -200
Fig. 7(b) Stresses of transverse section induced by Mc (nozzle No. 3,
0 = 90 deg)
228 / Vol. 121, MAY 1999 Transactions of the ASME
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ISO ISO 120 .
ML= 6. II KN m
Fig. 8(a) Stresses of longitudinal section induced by ML (nozzle No. 4,
6 = 180 deg)
180 ISO 120 90
\
/ " j X MC= J. M KN
T O =-270'
^ .- -
3
J
60 90 ^ ^ * 1 210 240 270 300
X
/
pad Cylinder X mm
Fig. 8(b) Stresses of transverse section induced by M0 (nozzle No. 4,
6 = 90 deg)
nozzles induced by moments on the nozzle possess an obvious
localized behavior.
Comparisons and Conclusions
1 Table 3 shows the comparisons between the experimental
and FEM analysis results. The stress ratio referred to in this
Elliptical head
Nozzle
Weld of reinforcement
Outside weld
Nozzle
Fig. 9 Meshes of FEM analysis
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology
Fig. 10(a) Longitudinal deformation
Fig. 10(b) Transverse deformation
table is the maximum stress in the cylinders or nozzles divided
by the nominal stress induced by the moments on the nozzles.
The stresses in Table 3 are the measured values. They are
not extrapolated to the junction, and as a result they are lower
MAY 1999, Vol. 121 / 229
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Fig. 11 (a) Stresses induced by ML (nozzle No. 4, 0 = 180 deg)
m 3 2 . ^ 5
n r ^~
I B
H-
5
-
4
' '
0 5
[_[ -8.5167
H* ~^^
0 7 4
H- -55 851
H- -4H 588
H - - 85 3 4 5
H - -yy 105
H - -H0 8 6
- 104. 62
-11 8. 37
- -152.15
Fig. 11 (b) Stresses induced by Mc (nozzle No. 4, 0 = 90 deg)
than those from the FEM analysis. From this table one can see
that the maximum stress is located in the transverse section of
the cylinder. The analyses further show that the maximum stress
occurs outside of the cylinder-pad weld region. It is caused by
the higher circumferential bending induced by the stiffening
effects of the reinforcement pad and welds and the discontinuity
of the geometric shapes.
2 Both the experimental and FEM analysis results indicate
that the stiffening effect of the reinforcement pad is obvious,
whether there is a geometric gap between the cylindrical shell
and reinforcement pad or not. It greatly reduces the stress con-
centration at the edge of the opening.
3 The experimental and FEM analysis results indicate that
the stresses in the cylinders and nozzles possess an obvious
localized behavior, no matter what the numerical values of the
geometric gaps are. The attenuation cycle of stress in the nozzle
is approximately 30 mm, which is 2.1yrt; that in the cylinder
is approximately 120 mm, which is 2.1yRT.
4 The stresses in the compression sides (8 = 180 deg ap-
proximately or 9 = 90 deg) and the tension sides (9 = 0 deg
or 9 = 270 deg) under moments M
L
or M
c
on the nozzle are
obviously antisymmetric about the central line of the nozzle,
no matter what the numerical values of the geometric gaps
between the cylindrical shells and reinforcement pads are. That
is to say, the absolute values of the stresses are the same, the
variations are the same, but the signs of the stresses are opposite.
It is for this reason that this paper only presents the stresses in
the compression sides.
5 The stresses in the transverse section of the cylinders (or
reinforcement pads) induced by transverse moment M
c
are
much larger than the stresses in the longitudinal section of
the cylinders (or reinforcement pads) induced by longitudinal
moment M
L
. The stress ratio of these two sections induced by
a unit moment on the nozzles are listed in Table 4.
6 For a loading of moments on the nozzles, the effect of
the geometric gap between the reinforcement pad and cylinder
on the local stresses in the reinforcement region is not obvious.
That is to say, the stresses in the cylinders and nozzles with a
Table 3 Comparisons of results
Vessel
No.
Nozzle
No.
Geometric
Ga pj
mm
Section
Moments
ott Noafc
KN-m
Maximum Stress Mpa Stress Ratio*
Vessel
No.
Nozzle
No.
Geometric
Ga pj
mm
Section
Moments
ott Noafc
KN-m
Test FEM Test FEM
Vessel
No.
Nozzle
No.
Geometric
Ga pj
mm
Section
Moments
ott Noafc
KN-m
Cylinder Nozzle Cylinder Nozzle
No. 1
No. 1
Without
pad
8 = 180 ML=6.27KN-m -347 -260 -466
(Cylinder)
1.82 1.36 2.44
No. 1
No. 1
Without
pad
8=90 Mc=3.14KN-m -311 -250 -350
(Cylinder)
3.27 2.63 3.68
No. 1
No. 2
8 = 0
With pad
6=180 ML=6.27KN-m -148 -200 -282
(Nozzle)
0.77 1.05 1.48
No. 1
No. 2
8 = 0
With pad
6=90 Mc=3.14KN-m -165 -155 -160
(Cylinder)
1.79 1.63 1.68
No. 2
No. 3
8 = 2
8=180 ML=6.27KN-m -135 -210 -247
(Nozzle)
0.68 1.10 1.93
No. 2
No. 3
8 = 2
6=90 Mc=3.14KN-m -170 -135 -155
(Cylinder)
1.84 1.42 1.63
No. 2
No. 4 8 = 4
8=180 ML=6.27KN-m -130 -230 -274
(Nozzle)
0.65 1.21 1.43
No. 2
No. 4 8 = 4
8=90 Mc-3.14KN-m -150 -125 -132
(Cylinder)
1.63 1.32 1.39
"Stress ratio = cr/{ML{c)/Zb)
where
a = maximum stress of experiment or calculation, MPa
ML(C) = longitudinal (transverse) moment on nozzles, KN-m
Zb = section modules of binding, mm
3
_ n(dl-df)
32d
230 / Vol. 121, MAY 1999 Transactions of the ASME
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Table 4 Test results of the transverse-longitudinal stress ratio
Vessel No. Nozzle No.
Geometric Gap
8 mm
Transverse-longitudinal Stress Ratio
( o/ M
c
) / ( o/ MJ
No. 1
No. 1 Without pad 1.79
No. 1
No. 2 8 = 0 2.27
No. 2
No. 3 8 = 2 2.51
No. 2
No. 4 8 = 4 2.31
certain size of geometric gap between the reinforcement pad
and cylindrical shell are not obviously larger than those without
a geometric gap.
Acknowledgment
The support of the Pressure Vessel Research Council and
in particular Ed Weis, Chairman of the Piping and Nozzles
Committee, and Kam Mokhtarian, Chairman of the Shell Inter-
sections Subcommittee, are gratefully acknowledged.
References
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Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, NY.
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Mershon, J. L Mokhtarian, K., Ranjan, G. V., and Rodabaugh, E. C, 1984,
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Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology
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