Frames, supports and secondary steel that carry piping, equipment and pipelines are often where loads actually arrive. If these structures are under-designed, modified without proper checks or exposed to new loads, the result can be excessive deflection, cracking or even failure.
NWE provides Structure Stress Analysis services to verify that frames, supports and steelwork can safely withstand operating and environmental loads, using recognised structural design codes and industry-standard tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus and CAESAR II.
Our work helps asset owners and engineering teams:
Structure stress analysis is typically required when frames, supports or secondary steel are carrying significant loads from piping, equipment or pipelines, especially in brownfield or high-consequence areas.
Typical triggers include:
In these situations, structure stress analysis provides a quantitative check on stresses, utilisation and deflection, rather than relying only on rules of thumb or visual judgement.
NWE’s structure stress analysis services are designed to provide clear engineering conclusions, not just finite element plots.
A typical assessment delivers:
The objective is simple: keep your structural system fit for purpose while supporting safe operation of connected piping and equipment.
NWE focuses Structure Stress Analysis on industrial frames, supports and secondary steel that interact closely with process equipment, piping and pipelines.
Typical structures:
Typical load conditions considered:
For complex geometries or localised details, non-linear and fatigue-oriented stress checks can be supported using FEA within NWE’s broader analysis capability.
NWE combines independent accreditation with practical understanding of how structures, piping and pipelines interact in real facilities.
Key reasons clients choose NWE:
For asset owners, this means structure stress analysis that is both technically robust and aligned with your overall integrity and inspection strategy.
Structure Stress Analysis is often delivered alongside other NWE services, including:
Structural Integrity Assessment – capacity and risk evaluation for complete structures
Piping Stress Analysis – ASME B31.3/B31.1 stress checks for process and utility piping
Pipeline Stress Analysis – mechanical behaviour and code compliance for long pipelines
Pipeline Integrity Assessment – condition and risk evaluation based on inspection data
Fitness-for-Service (FFS) – defect-specific assessments to API 579 / ASME FFS-1
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) – risk-informed inspection planning for static equipment and piping
These services help ensure that structures, piping, pipelines and inspection plans are evaluated coherently across your asset base.
Need to verify frames or supports for new or existing piping and equipment?
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Structure Stress Analysis focuses on detailed stress, utilisation and deflection checks for frames, racks, supports and secondary steel under specified loads. Structural Integrity Assessment looks more broadly at global capacity, failure modes and risk for a complete structure or asset, often in an ageing or life-extension context.
We typically require structural drawings or models (where available), information on supported piping and equipment, material data, design and operating loads (including thermal and displacement loads from piping), and any known issues such as cracking or deformation. Additional details may be requested depending on the complexity of the structure and load cases.
We base our work on relevant structural design codes (such as ASME-related structural guidance, AISC and ISO-based standards, together with client and regional requirements) and use industry-standard analysis tools including ANSYS, Abaqus and CAESAR II when a coupled piping–structure problem must be addressed.
Yes. NWE can review existing structural or FEA models, verify assumptions and load cases, and provide an independent opinion on stresses, utilisation and any required strengthening or mitigation measures, supporting both in-house engineering teams and external stakeholders.
We’re excited to connect with you and share more about how we can collaborate together!
Please contact us to discuss your staffing requirements and explore how NWE can assist in achieving your project objectives
NWE provides independent third-party inspection services and separate asset-integrity engineering support—improving quality and safety, protecting operations and budgets, and enhancing environmental performance.
