What is the best way, -and common practice-, to model a standard U bolt?.

Case: steel pipe from 2 to 12 inches, A53B/A106B spec. anchored with standard U bolts of 4 nuts like Grinnell Fig.137, PT&P Fig.100, etc. With the nuts properly tightened to rigid structural members.

I´m thinking of modelling U bolts as X,Y,Z restraints.


I think it also prevents rotation in some degree, but not in all directions, and I´m not sure if an anchor would be "too much". So advice would be helpful.

Typically a u-bolt is assumed to prevent vertical and lateral motion only. The u-bolt won't stop axial thermal growth, or any rotation.

So, if your pipe is running in the "X" direction, the u-bolt would be modeled as a "Y" and a "Z" restraint.