Hi Nala,

Nala, you can model expansion joint into two ways, zero length expansion joint(for hinged and gimballed) and finite length expansion joint.

If you dont have the vendor's data as for now, you can model the expansion joint trough the expansion joint modeller, it automatically gives you the necessary data for your expansion joint.

If you try these,this is very simple method. Expansion joint modeller will ask you. pressure,style of expansion joint,number of convolutions, material of convolution, end type and temperature. Dont forget to override the temperature. After all it will gives you the data temporarily,like axial stiffness,translational stifness,torsional stiffness and effective id. You dont have to input bending stiffness if you already have translational stiffness because caesar will automatically compute the bending stiffness.

If do you have effective area, you can calculate effective id. Because sometimes vendor will give you effective area. If do you have already the results of your expansion joint, you cal also inform the vendor if you want. There's a possibility that they will design an expansion joint based on your results. These statements is according to our mentor.

Regards,
Machoguy
"Science without religion is lame,religion without science is blind"