Appropriate Damping on Seismic Design Analysis for Inelastic Response Assessment of Piping

The current seismic design rule on piping assumes elastic analysis without the effect of response reduction due to plasticity, although some degree of plasticity is allowed in its allowable limits. Damping for the seismic design analysis is conservatively determined depending on the number of supports and thermal insulation conditions. These conservative assumptions lead to large amount of design margin. Based on such recognition, to provide a more rational seismic design method, a new Code Case for seismic design of piping is now under development in the framework of JSME Nuclear Codes and Standards as an alternative rule to the current design rule. The Code Case provides detailed inelastic analysis with using shell or solid FEA models as a more rational method. Simplified analysis with an additional damping taking the response reduction due to plasticity into account is now under consideration to incorporate the convenience in design. In this study, a series of analysis was made to see the adequacy of the simplified inelastic analysis. Design margins contained in the current design analysis method composed of response spectrum analysis and stress factors was quantitatively assessed in the view point of additional damping.