An incremental equivalent static-G method for estimating piping system inelastic behavior under seismic loading

This paper proposes a limit-analysis-based design approach that, by accounting for both the piping system redundancy and reduced response under dynamic plastic load cycling, gains enough design relief to permit practical designs even when conservative equivalent static-g analysis methods are used. The method also provides more realistic displacement and support load predictions than current linear analysis methods by accounting for local inelastic behavior and load redistributions. The design approach is economical to employ and provides insight that is helpful to the designer in selecting optimal support schemes