Calculating the design load and distances between pipe supports brackets

Pipe support spacing table Australian standards

The following calculations have taken out of the AS:2419.1.8.7.2,2005 Pipe support design for pipe support brackets distance.

1. A pipe support system, the individual components of which are in accordance with the requirements of Clause 10.5; or
2. Pipe supports and fasteners that are capable of supporting two times the mass of the pipework filled with water plus a mass of 115kg at each point of support.

So, for 100mm Medium gauge pipe 4.5mm wall thickness the calculation is as follows,

1m of pipe = 12.2kg  1m of water = 8.7kg  Combined = 20.9kg per meter then x 2 = 41.8 per meter of pipework

Then add a mass of 115kg at each point so the following will be considered.

1m = 41.8 + 115 = 156.8kg weight

2m = 83.6 + 115 = 198.6kg weight

3m = 125.4 + 115 = 240.4kg weight

4m = 167.2 + 115 = 282.2kg of weight

5m = 209 + 115 = 324kg of weight

6m = 250.8.8 + 115 = 365.8kg of weight

7m = 292.6 + 115 = 407.6kg of weight

So, for 150mm Medium gauge pipe 4.5mm wall thickness the calculation is as follows,

1m of pipe = 19.4kg  1m of water = 18.9kg Combined = 38.3kg per meter then x 2 = 76.6 per meter of pipework

Then add a mass of 115kg at each point so the following will be considered.

1m = 76.6 + 115 = 191.6kg weight

2m = 153.2 + 115 = 268.2kg weight

3m = 229.8 + 115 = 344.8kg weight

4m = 306.4 + 115 = 421.4kg of weight

The above calculations then need to be used in conjunction with AS:1530.4.12 and AS:1530.4.2 for calculating the design load and distances between supports we have used 4m spacings for this example.

Example 150mm pipe 4m spacings would be a weight of 421+ kg needs to be suspended from bracket support then installed in a test furnace using AS:1530.4 to simulate a fire load for a minimum of 60 mins to meet the current FRL 60/-/-

So fundamentally a 421kg weight suspended from a pipe support stuck in an oven at 940 degrees for 60 minutes and the bracket or system needs to hold its integrity.

Other pipe support products are not considering the following AS: Guidelines

AS1530.4.12 CRITICAL SERVICES.

Pipe support spacing code

Whether it is an engineered solution or fully tested solution the calculation of the pipe support design load needs to be applied, then all the calculations for spacings are then worked out and documented in all installation guide whether it is a 4m span or any other span as per Australian Standards. These test reports are easily downloaded or available on request from each supplier.