Research project

Wave modelling and joint identification of piping systems

Lead researchers:

Professor Tim Waters
Status:

Not active

Project overview

Dynamic modelling of piping systems is important for reasons of structural integrity, sound transmission and condition monitoring. This project proposes to develop an integrated approach to improving models for vibration analysis of jointed piping networks. A wave type technique will be developed by which piping elements such as beams, hangers, flanges, bends and branches can be systematically assembled to give a concise and physically insightful model of the structure. Paramount to the accuracy of any model is knowledge of the system's parameters of which joint properties are generally least well known. A joint identification technique for wave models will be developed to estimate physical properties of mechanical joints such as stiffness and damping coefficients. Although based on updating methods for Finite Element (FE) models, many of the difficulties experienced in FE model updating will be circumvented by the adoption of a wave formulation. The process will require measurement of wave amplitudes. Currently available techniques will be evaluated and adapted for this novel application. Robustness of the joint estimation technique to quantity and quality of measured data will be investigated through simulated and experimental case studies of piping systems.