structural steel

Anybody have a good chart or standards to go by for type of steel to use for pipe racks? I understand that a civil engineer will need to do some calcs but is there a norm to go by?

Most "owner" companies have standards that cover the routine pipe rack/ supports design and use. In my area(oil fields) we normally "wing it" with this type of support info, but once we meet or exceed 8'-0" then a structural engineer HAS TOO get involved with design & and obtaining permits for their use. Now this height limit may be different in other areas, but in general this is pretty normal ...in my experience.

Hey LSG,

As Jop said......I go off on my own with the initial structural design. I cannot design a piping layout without thinking through structural design as I go. It's good to hear your taking that same approach because more and more I'm seeing designers throwing piping in space and telling structural to fiqure it out.

My first question is what sort of approach are you able to take.....meaning do you have access to structural software add on's or are you using simple 3D rectangular shapes. That will help me answer your question.

I guess my second question is....do you have structural designers at your location or are you required to do the actual structural design.....not just the initial base structural layout?

I need a feel for what your actually required to produce. I don't want to send you on a wrong path. Also, what type of project are you working on?

Hey guys I'm working on a gas plant, I'm using cadworx and we do have structural beams I can choose from. I generally layout all the steel before I pipe, I don't have a problem laying out the steel, but with this new company i will be doing the details for the steel as well, where at my old company I had a structural designer. Basically ill be doing both roles. I usually use w 150x22 canadian wide flange but just wondering what loads can that handle and is that a thick enough beam for my supports.

Thanks guys.

W150x22 is 6x15 for the imperial crowd.

I'm trying to visualize your plant in my head. Is this a small gas plant.....simple with some wells, a dehy, separator, pigging etc or is it bigger and more complex.

Are these supports basic t-post or basic 2 post single level racks low to the ground. Or are they multi-level over your head type racks? How wide are they approx.

For relatively low to the ground supports as I described above 2000mm wide or so, I think a W150x22 is ok. Overhead racks I would expect you would be a W200x24 up to a W250x89 depending on a whole bunch of things. I have to think your not designing a multi-level 20ft wide rack full of pipe though.