EFFECT OF BEND ANGLE ON PLASTIC LIMIT LOADS OF PIPE BENDS UNDER IN-PLANE BENDING MOMENT

The effect of bend angle on plastic limit loads of pipe bends (elbows) under in-plane opening and closing bending. moment is presented using three-dimensional large strain non-linear finite element analyses. The results show that the presence of ovality significantly leads to the stress concentration in the middle cross section, which is the critical section of pipe bends. Meanwhile the state of stress concentration is also associated with the loading modes including the in-plane opening bending moment and the closing bending moment. Then plastic limit loads of pipe bends are further studied. It is found that plastic limit loads are decreasing with the increase of bend angles. Especially the variation of plastic limit loads of small angle pipe bends (bend angle from the 0 degree to 90 degree) is larger than that of large angle pipe bends (bend angle greater than 90 degree). Based on the finite element results, the present plastic limit load solutions are not fit for the large angle pipe bends (bend angle greater than 90 degree).