Preliminary stress analysis work will start early in the detail engineering phase after completion of equipment layout and piping study drawings. The piping required to be analyzed will be divided into systems or sub-systems with logical break points and the Mechanical Engineer will provide the stress analyst with a preliminary information package for each piping system identified as requiring stress analysis.
Some of the critical piping systems are such that any changes in vendor information or equipment layout will result in considerable rework for the stress analyst and changes in piping layout. For other piping, preliminary analysis can be carried out without information from equipment vendors and any rework due to changes in layout or equipment details will not result in significant rework. The mechanical engineer, piping design and stress analyst will work out a schedule so that piping design, stress analysis and structural/foundation work for pipe support can proceed smoothly with minimum rework. While the sequence of work will vary from one project to another, the following general suggestions have been found useful in the past.