A Load Combination Method for Aseismic Design of Multiple Supported Piping Systems

Abstract

A new load combination scheme for seismic response calculation of piping systems subjected to multiple support excitations is presented. This scheme has an advantage, such that the cross-correlation among support excitations are properly taken into account by use of a stationary random vibration approach. The authors also present the idea of generating a “multi-excitation floor response spectrum.” First, using a simple analytical SDOF piping system to two support excitations and a simple Z-shaped piping model for shaking test, the combination law is supplied to various correlation cases of two support excitations and the maximum responses of piping in a fundamental mode is calculated. Second, nonlinear characteristics such as gap and friction appearing between piping itself and supports are specifically investigated. The response effect due to these nonlinearities is evaluated by the results through the shaking test with a piping-support structural model, and the amount of response reduction effect is represented by “a response reduction factor β.”