Fiberglass Design and Engineering Services

• Feasibility Studies
• Project Scope Development
• Material Selection
• Engineering Analysis
• Finite Element Analysis
• Design Optimization
• Project Specifications
• Construction Details and Drawings
• Vendor Qualification
• Bid Evaluation
• Submittal Review
• Design and Procurement Training
• Materials Evaluation and Testing
• Corporate Standards
• Product Development

Overview
Design procedures for FRP differ from those for metallic equipment, in that FRP design standards and codes are relatively new and may not cover all aspects of the equipment design. Because of these differences, experienced judgment is often required. Available FRP standards can prevent gross structural failures when properly applied, but failures continue to occur at critical details where design latitude is permitted. Although current industry standards for FRP materials and equipment have provided a starting point for mechanical design, structural failures associated with improper equipment design and fabrication are still significant when not controlled by qualified, experienced FRP engineering.

When To Use FSE Engineering Services
A detailed design and specification prior to request for quotations should be considered for all projects including::

• New equipment applications when limited previous FRP performance information is available.These applications would include those that demand a high degree of design expertise using composite technology, and those that would exceed conventional design practices.
• Previous applications in which the service life of FRP equipment has been limited.
• Applications that involve unacceptable consequences of failure or unscheduled shutdowns.
• Applications with severe environmental and operating conditions.

FSE Engineering Deliverables

Equipment:

• Engineering design elements and calculations, including selection of resins, reinforcing materials and specification of laminate sequences for all FRP components that will optimize the design for the intended service.
• Descriptive or modified performance based specifications which control critical aspects of design and fabrication that impact the quality and service life of the equipment.
• Complete fabrication drawings covering all critical construction details.
• Vendor qualification when required.

Above ground piping:

Appropriate services described above plus:

• Stress analysis of the piping system to determine the type and location of supports, guides and anchors to maintain system stress levels within allowable limits.
• Reaction loads at each support, guide and anchor to assist others in the design of associated structural steel components.
• Specifications for all supports, guides and anchors.
• Pipe assembly and spool drawings, including detailed fabrication drawings and specifications for fittings, flanges and other system components.
• Descriptive specifications for the fabrication, shop and field assembly of the piping system and components.
• FEA of critical fittings.

Below ground piping:

Appropriate services described for above ground piping plus:

• Analysis of the buried piping system, accounting for all installation, design and operating conditions and loads.
• Determination and specification of thrust block requirements.
• Burial specification covering trenching, types of backfill, compaction requirements, allowable circumferential deflection and longitudinal stresses and other parameters critical to long term service life.

Benefits of the Complete Design Service

• The Owner retains important control over the design and fabrication process, assuring that all equipment requirements and the desires of the Owner are fully integrated into the design. This assures that the cost/benefit tradeoffs are managed in accordance with the Owner's interests.
• The FSE engineering staff is very experienced in the design of FRP equipment and piping systems. Proven design procedures are used to develop the critical details in non-mandatory areas of the design specifications where considerable judgment is required. The FSE design package will be optimized for the design conditions to provide the longest cost effective service life possible for the FRP equipment. Descriptive specifications, construction details and fabrication drawings supplied with the FSE design package cover all fabrication issues significant to the design analysis and provide for verification of the important criteria through inspection and testing. Compliance to these quality-related details assures long-term performance of the equipment.
• The detailed fabrication drawings and descriptive specifications furnished by FSE will provide the basis for competitive bidding, assuring "apples-to-apples" pricing for one design. The same drawings and specifications will be used by the successful vendor for fabrication. No vendor fabrication or design submittals will be required.

Overview
The objective of FSE's submittal review service is to provide confidence in the structural adequacy and quality of FRP purchased directly from the fabricator, based on a general "performance" specification, wherein the fabricator takes responsibility for detailed design, fabrication and suitability for service. Rather than rely on a "performance" specification to ensure equipment adequacy, Owners may review several designs submitted during the bidding stage prior to award of the contract. In addition, a design review may be performed on the final calculations and fabrication drawings of the successful bidder prior to the start of fabrication.

Where To Use These Services
Review of fabricator design and fabrication proposals should be considered for:

• Applications involving unacceptable consequences of failure or unscheduled downtime for repairs or modifications.
• Newer applications where no ready comparisons can be drawn to existing equipment or there is a lack of long-term performance history in similar applications.
• Applications involving relatively severe service conditions.

FSE Submittal Review Deliverables
FSE submittal review services can be tailored to the needs of the project, and may include the following:

• List of design and fabrication submittal data required for evaluation of the adequacy of proposed designs. These requirements will include detailed construction information, specific engineering calculations and physical property data.
• Review of calculations and fabrication drawings. Errors, omissions, low safety factors, non-conservative physical properties, assumptions or other design issues presented in the calculations are identified. The evaluation also includes a review of all major FRP components and construction details. Transmittal of design details to shop drawings is also confirmed.
• A report will be provided to summarize and discuss the design adequacy, errors, omissions and compliance with contract documents and current industry practice. Recommendations are provided which the client can use as a basis for discussion with the fabricator(s) to obtain needed changes or corrections. Additional recommendations are included as appropriate regarding fabrication details, compliance with current industry practices and other features of the proposed design.
• Detailed calculations and modifications to augment fabricator designs, if requested.

Benefits of Fabricator (Vendor) Design Submittal Services
Obtaining a design review of proposals submitted by fabricators can provide the following benefits to the Owner:

• Greater control over equipment adequacy than is obtained by reliance on a performance specification only.
• Gives the owner a complete understanding of reisk and the ability to opt for a more or less conservative design.
• The ability to place the proposals on an equivalent basis for evaluation.

Product Testing and Evaluation

Overview
Many products cannot be tested in a manner equivalent to their end use. Although it is possible to simulate operation by applying temperature and pressure changes; other conditions, such as bending and load combinations, cannot be reasonably simulated in a test situation. Through a combination of analytical modeling and non-destructive and destructive laboratory tests, FSE provides meaningful evaluations that are appropriate for the end use of the product.

Often, load conditions specified in FRP testing standards do not relate to the actual end use of the product. FSE integrates a variety of analytical and testing techniques, such as tensile strength testing, ignition loss testing (burn test), hydro and burst testing, combining the strengths of each, to gain the highest confidence in the adequacy of the product for the intended service. FSE's approach includes the following steps:

• Review the product/equipment process and design requirements, including fabrication methods, corrosion requirements and strength requirements.
• Determine expected laminate physical properties through laminate theory analysis after reviewing fabrication methods and raw materials.
• Determine the expected mode of failure for the equipment through engineering analysis, including first sign of failure and ultimate structural failure.
• Test the whole product or the critical parts of the equipment to determine capabilities. Test aids are employed as required to improve the analytical results, including strain gauging and Acoustic Emission (AE) Testing.
• Report findings, including comparison of actual test results as they compare to theoretical analysis for product analysis, evaluation and confirmation.

Applicability
In general, products should be tested in a manner that simulates end use conditions. End use testing of FRP products is particularly important, considering the wide range of physical properties that can occur through variations in designs and the fabrication quality of composites.

The major limitation of both destructive and non-destructive performance testing is the inability to apply all of the actual operating loads during the test. For instance, the simple hydrotest, commonly required after fabrication of a vessel or piping system, is basically a leak test that may have little value in testing for the long-term structural adequacy of the equipment, since loads developed may not be representative of actual service conditions.

Engineering Seminars

FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) is used extensively as a construction material for industrial equipment and piping applications. However, owners, engineering and construction companies generally have inadequate expertise in FRP technology. To assist owners, architectural/ engineering firms and contractors better manage FRP equipment and piping, FSE can provide technical seminars.

When using outside consulting services is not convenient, owners may opt to upgrade their in-house FRP engineering capabilities through FSE's technical seminars. Customized for specific areas of interest, instruction covers engineering issues such as the basics of material selection, procurement strategies, codes, methods of analysis, bidding submittal reviews and FRP shop qualification.

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