PLASTIC LOADS FOR PIPING BRANCH JUNCTIONS SUBJECTED TO COMBINED PRESSURE AND INPLANE MOMENT LOADS

Experimental results are presented from plastic collapse tests on a series of 150 mm nominal diameter piping branch junctions. The loads considered are infernal pressure and both branch and run pipe in-plane bending. Plastic loads are defined and presented for individual loads followed by combined pressure and moment results in the form of plastic load interaction diagrams. The results are discussed in the light of the ASME III nuclear pressure vessel design code rules.