Stochastic response of piping systems with flexible supports

A frequency domain spectral analysis of piping systems with flexible supports is presented for uniformly modulated nonstationary support excitations. The support points are idealized by spring-dashpot arrangements. The equations of motion of the resulting nonclassically damped, multipoint excitation system are written and solved in terms of the absolute displacements of the dynamic DOF. This facilitates a direct computation of the dynamic stresses induced at various cross sections of the pipe segments. The method of analysis provides a quasi-stationary response based on the assumption that the modulating function varies slowly with time; the exact response analysis in frequency domain for such systems with nonstationary support excitation is difficult to determine. Using the method of analysis presented, the response of a piping system is obtained for a set of important parametric variations related to the flexibility, damping, and excitation of the supports.