While entering the soil parameters into the basic soil modeler there is an input for 'TEMPERATURE CHANGE, Install-Operating (deg F).' When opening the help screen for this particular input the following is displayed, "Enter the installed to operating pipe temperature difference...." This is a differential temperature.

The same piping that is buried also carries temperatures from the 'Classic Piping Input' that creates a differential from the 'Ambient temperature (for this job)' input located in the 'Special Execution Parameters'?

My question is which temperature inputs does the underground piping expand from? The differential temperature entered into the 'Basic Soil Modeler' or the 'Classic Piping Input' temperatures that create a differential with the ambient temperature for the particular job?

I never did receive a reply on this particular thread and wrote this message to try and revive it.

Thanks,

This pair of data - delta T and the coefficient of thermal expansion - are used to estimate the virtual anchor length (VAL). This VAL is based on the total axial load in the buried system which is composed of thermal strain, pressure thrust and Poisson shrinkage. The program has access to the pressure and temperature (P1 & T1) in the model but not the thermal strain rate or the ambient temperature, thus the question. The entered data, here, does not change the analysis temperature (e.g., T1) for teh buried system.

Thanks for the reply Dave. That answers my question.