Hello everyone,

Analyzing the system during blast scenario is a very difficult task and requires good judgement on the parameters to be used.

To make it more complex, we are currently looking into a piping system wherein the piping is insulated. The first thing that we've done is to consider the total area projected to compute for the drag load and gives a very conservative loads. This resulted to overdesigned supports.

My questions are:

1. Is it correct to consider the total area projected including the insulation to calculate the drag load?

2. What will be the allowable stress to be used - will it be the composite of insulation and the pipe or the strength of the pipe alone? - How to calculate the strength if it will came from the combination of pipe and insulation?

3. Will the insulation be deformed on a blast scenario? If yes, what will be the area to be used to calculate for the drag load?

4. Are the values given for CD and DAF from different sources consider the deformation of the area, on this case the total area including insulation?

Thank you in advance, and I hope you will find time to answer this post.

Regards,
jad