Variant Creation of Onshore Steel Outfitting Structures

Abstract

Pipe racks are steel frame structures used to support piping, cables, trays etc. at oil and gas facilities onshore and offshore. Pipe racks may vary in design but thefundamental principals are the same. The geometry is therefore suitable for automate design.

The main goal of this thesis was to establish a geometric foundation for onshorepipe rack implementation in knowledge based engineering (KBE) design.Loadsand geometry is based on models and design briefs from the onshore Ormen Langefacility at Nyhamna, Norway and Eurocodes for steel structures.

Four heights, three widths, three lengths and two support conditions are combinedto make the models presented in this work. These parameters are chosen basedon observations of existing onshore pipe racks and specifications from the provideddesign briefs. Combined with 11 load cases these parameters results in a total of 36 analyses.

All structures have been designed according to ultimate limit state (ULS), accidental limit state (ALS) and service ability limit state (SLS) design codes, where it is placed emphasis on ULS design codes.

The results from this work is found in appendix D.

Profile types have been chosen based on both geometric properties and capacity,where the geometric properties are governed by a design hierarchy.

All calculations and assumptions are based on the fact that this is an early stagedesign. Results from the work carried out in this assignment is hence not a finalproduct. More analysis needs to be carried out and more design alternatives shouldbe provided before a final KBE product can be made.