FEA of T-Shaped Flanged Pipe

MME451 - Linear Elastostatic &
Dynamic Finite Element Analysis

Dimos Dimou – AM812484
[email protected]
20/11/2022
INTRODUCTION
The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a numerical method for solving problems of engineering and mathematical physics.
These problems are categorized according to their mathematical and physical background to structural analysis, heat
transfer, fluid flow, mass transport and others. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) uses mathematical expressions and
physics criteria that obtain a approximate solution of the problem that its deviation can be justified with analytical
solution to determine the accuracy of the method. Of course, in problems with complicated geometry, loading, material
behavior etc., it may be impossible to obtain an analytical solution for one or infinite points of the geometry, so the
approximate use of FEM is a cost-effective way to tackle problems like that.
In this assignment FEM is used in a transient stress analysis and a modal analysis problem. At the first one a “T”
shaped flanged pipe, made of ductile cast iron, is 0.8km below sea surface. There are two scenarios of internal
pressure loading. At the first internal pressure starts from 100 MPa and ramps up to 110 MPa within 1 minute, then is
stabilizes for 1 minute and then ramps down to 100 MPa in 1 minute. The second scenario internal pressure load
oscillates at 0.005556 Hz with a mean pressure of 100 MPa, and deviation from mean of 10 MPa. Furthermore, at the
modal analysis the first 5 Modes shapes of the pipe were solved.
• Problem A – Transient Structural Analysis (Ramped Pressure)

• Problem B – Transient Structural Analysis (Oscillated Pressure)
• Problem C – Modal Analysis
METHODOLOGY
The design of the geometry has been made in a CAD program named Solidworks, as it is easier to make complicated
and detailed geometries. A technical drawing of the part is given below with all the important dimensions.
Figure 1 Technical drawing of “T” shaped flanged pipe

ANSYS Models: Material
To begin with, a material for the FE model was chosen. Due to the need of a ductile cast iron material, its properties
were needed to be imported manually as the material library of ANSYS had not a ductile cast iron material. Its
properties are shown at the table below:
Material: ASTM A571 Type D-2M Cast Iron

Elastic (Young’s, Shear Modulus Yield tensile Ultimate tensile Density Poisson’s Ratio
tensile) Modulus [GPa] [GPa] strength [MPa] strength [MPa] [g/cm3]
180 70 230 500 7.8 0.3
Table 1 Material properties
ANSYS Models: Geometry

The 3D design was imported in the FEA program ANSYS as the geometry of the model set up. A reference figure for
each problem is shown below.
Figure 2 Quarter geometry (PROBLEM A&B)
Because the geometry has symmetry in axis Z and axis Y so the quarter of the initial geometry under the same
conditions was analyzed in Problems A&B. At the modal analysis the whole geometry should be taken, because the
modal frequencies depend on the mass of the part.
Figure 3 Full Geometry (PROBLEM C)
ANSYS Model: Model Editor – Coordinate systems

As the material and geometry have been selected, the coordinate system of the model is created. In this case, the
comparison with analytical solutions is not needed, so a cartesian coordinate system is created at the center of the
geometries.
ANSYS Model: Model Editor – Mesh

The mesh discretization is made with triangle elements and those elements are refined gradually, with the critical
edges and faces to have a greater refinement from the rest geometry. The mesh for each problem is shown bellow.
Figure 4&5 Problem A&B – Mesh Discretization

Figure 6 Problem C – Mesh discretization
To be sure that the dimensions’ ratio of the elements is accepted the Aspect Ratio for each mesh is displayed below.
Figure 6-9 Model 2 – Mesh Refinements
Figure 7 Mesh Aspect Ratio (Problem A)

Figure 8 Mesh Aspect Ratio (Problem B)
Figure 9 Mesh Aspect Ratio (Problem C)
The greatest percentage of the elements’ aspect ratio is approx. to 1.2, that is very close to the desired aspect ratio 1.
The aspect ratio’s scale seems very large and that is due to the small critical fillet areas and edges where refinement
is difficult especially with the computational power of a regular laptop. The aspect ratio was used as a criterion for
the type of element and expresses the ratio between the longest to the shortest dimension of the element. It
correlated directly to the accuracy of the numerical results.
ANSYS Models: Model Editor – Boundary Conditions
In this section the boundary conditions of the model are being put. For each problem the boundary conditions are
explained separately.
Problem A:
Figure 10 Boundary Conditions – Problem A
The flanges of the “T” shaped pipe relate to other pipes with screws in their holes. This means that the screws’ holes
have zero displacement in any direction. Due to the cuts of the geometry along x and z axis the displacement to z and
x axis accordingly is zero. External pressure is 160 Atm (or 16.21 MPa) and the internal pressure starts from 100 MPa
and ramps up to 110 MPa within 1 minute, then is stabilizes for 1 minute and then ramps down to 100 MPa in 1
minute.
Figure 11 Internal Pressure Plot (Problem A)
Problem B:
Figure 12 Boundary Conditions (Problem B)
Same as problem A, flanges of the “T” shaped pipe relate to other pipes with screws in their holes. This means that
the screws’ holes have zero displacement in any direction. Due to the cuts of the geometry along x and z axis the
displacement to z and x axis accordingly is zero. External pressure is 160 Atm (or 16.21 MPa) and the internal
pressure load oscillates at 0.005556 Hz with a mean pressure of 100 MPa, and deviation from mean of 10 MPa.
Figure 13 Internal Pressure Plot (Problem B)
Problem C:
Figure 14 Boundary Conditions (Problem C)

Same as problem A and B, flanges of the “T” shaped pipe relate to other pipes with screws in their holes. This means
that the screws’ holes have zero displacement in any direction. In Modal Analysis the natural frequencies are
calculated so there’s no need to add any pressure.
Now the model is ready to execute the desired results which are Equivalent Stresses (von Mises), Equivalent Elastic
Strain and Shear Stresses. For the Modal Analysis only Total Deformation and natural frequencies are needed. The
numerical prediction to this problem is that it will probably brake because of big stress concentration at sharp edges
as the internal connection point of the “T” pipe.
RESULTS
The results of the analysis are presented in Figures 18-31 for all problems.
Figure 15 PROBLEM A – Equivalent Strain
Figure 16 PROBLEM A – Total Deformation

Figure 17 PROBLEM A – Equivalent Stress
Figure 18 PROBLEM A – Shear stress (side A)

Figure 18 PROBLEM A – Shear stress (side B)
Figure 19 PROBLEM B – Total Deformation

Figure 20 PROBLEM B – Equivalent Stress
Figure 21 PROBLEM B – Equivalent Strain

Figure 22 PROBLEM C – Mode 1


The chart below shows the natural frequencies of the pipe for Modes 1-5.
Figure 27 Natural Frequencies for modes 1-5 (Problem C)

Natural Frequencies [Hz]
f1 4796.8
f2 5056.4
f3 5487.1
f4 7200.3
f5 7454.4
CONCLUSION
To sum up, to prevent the intense stress concentration is preferable to have a radius at the internal corner of the “T”
shape. What is more, to prevent the failure of the pipe some of the suggestions below should be done.
• Change of material with UTS>1.5GPa (could increase cost incredibly)

• Smaller pipe diameter (to reduce stresses)
• Thicker pipe (to reduce stresses)
Also, it is seen that the pipe has high natural frequencies which is logical due to the fact that is from metal and it has
non negligible volume.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] D.L. Logan. A First Course in the Finite Element Method. ISBN-13: 978-0495668251
[2] Stress Intensity Factor | Engineering Library. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2022, from
https://engineeringlibrary.org/reference/fracture-mechanics-stress-intensity-factor.
[3] Iron alloy (2018) MakeItFrom.com. Available at: https://www.makeitfrom.com/material-properties/ASTM-

A571-Type-D-2M-Class-1-or-3-Cast-Iron (Accessed: November 20, 2022).
APPENDIX

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MME451 - Linear Elastostatic &

Dynamic Finite Element Analysis

• Problem A – Transient Structural Analysis (Ramped Pressure)

Figure 1 Technical drawing of “T” shaped flanged pipe

Material: ASTM A571 Type D-2M Cast Iron

ANSYS Models: Geometry

Figure 2 Quarter geometry (PROBLEM A&B)

ANSYS Model: Model Editor – Coordinate systems

ANSYS Model: Model Editor – Mesh

Figure 4&5 Problem A&B – Mesh Discretization

Figure 6-9 Model 2 – Mesh Refinements

Figure 7 Mesh Aspect Ratio (Problem A)

Figure 9 Mesh Aspect Ratio (Problem C)

Figure 10 Boundary Conditions – Problem A

Figure 12 Boundary Conditions (Problem B)

Figure 13 Internal Pressure Plot (Problem B)

Figure 14 Boundary Conditions (Problem C)

Figure 15 PROBLEM A – Equivalent Strain

Figure 16 PROBLEM A – Total Deformation

Figure 18 PROBLEM A – Shear stress (side A)

Figure 19 PROBLEM B – Total Deformation

Figure 21 PROBLEM B – Equivalent Strain

Figure 23 PROBLEM C – Mode 2

Figure 25 PROBLEM C – Mode 4

Figure 27 Natural Frequencies for modes 1-5 (Problem C)

• Change of material with UTS>1.5GPa (could increase cost incredibly)

[3] Iron alloy (2018) MakeItFrom.com. Available at: https://www.makeitfrom.com/material-properties/ASTM-

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