Elastic-plastic analysis of a full-size elbow - experimental and numerical investigations

Loads are assigned to three different categories - in-plane opening mode, in-plane closing mode and out-of-plane bending - which influence the load-bearing behaviour of pipe bends, as do the geometrical dimensions, the material behaviour and any additional internal pressure which may be applied. This paper concentrates on the loading condition 'in-plane opening-mode bending without internal pressure'. (orig./GL)