Erecting or renovating a steel structure in the modern era typically involves multiple contracted organizations all working together off one set of design drawings.  The Engineer, Fabricator, and Contractor hash out design details in a three-way exchange.  Using a streamlined structural steel design process can alleviate some of this chaos and the inefficiencies it creates.  […]

  Explicit FEA software is a powerful tool to model dynamic structures and transient loading. They are, time-consuming and difficult to troubleshoot. Often, FEA engineers apply simplifications to reduce model size computational expense. It’s essential that these simplifications applied to produce accurate results. A common error is reducing the model size and scope and forgetting […]

TI 2515 193 HCVS and SAWM Inspection   It’s been seven years since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster.  Since then, US Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) have installed Hardened Containment Vent Systems (HCVS) and implemented Severe Accident Water Management (SAWM) strategies. The NRC will soon inspect licensee implementation using recently developed guidance in TI 2515/193.  This […]

We've looked at dozens of top performers in the engineering field, and gathered these top 5 tips for becoming a successful engineer.

Explosive hazards are prevalent in many industries. The source of these explosions can be accidental or malevolent. Regardless, site personnel need protection from these hazards. Blast-resistant buildings shield workers and critical assets from blast effects. In this post, we highlight Finite Element Analysis, and its application in the design of Blast Resistant Buildings.  In this post we'll cover: Basic blast loading design concepts, differences between hand calculations and FEA, and blast analysis using FEA

Evaluating Tornado Missiles for RIS 2015-06? We’re going to help make it a little more intuitive. Tornado strikes might not be as bad as you once thought.

If you’re somewhat new to CFD, you might be asking yourself why there are so many turbulence models. The answer lies at the heart of what CFD software does. It solves the Navier-Stokes Equation as well as the energy and mass conservation. When solving these equations, Prandtl realized that no direct mathematical solution existed for turbulent flow. This has been coined as the turbulence closure problem because the equations can’t be closed for turbulent flow.

Most structures and their loads are symmetric. In these cases it's possible to take advantage of symmetry to simplify your Finite Element Analysis and reduce run time. In this blog we'll: Discuss benefits of using symmetry in FEA, provide a primer in symmetry theory, and Work through a FEA case study using symmetry.

Looking for a quick way to find if something will survive a tornado missile strike? Try these calculators for either concrete or steel.

In last week's blog, we discussed the science behind bolted connections. Specifically their response when subjected to a combined external load and preload. In this blog we'll work through the application of bolted joint science in a finite element analysis.  We will: Provide an introduction to FEA modeling of pre-loaded bolted joints, discuss some common troubleshooting techniques, establish methods to validate results of the FEA model and highlight differences between bolted joint science and real-world application.

You can see them just about everywhere you look. From massive structural steel joints that make up the Golden Gate Bridge to the intricate inner workings of an antique swiss watch, bolted connections dominate our world. Let's take a closer look at the actual science behind the bolted connection.

Process systems are getting more and more complex, and operators are demanding increased reliability. The increased complexity and reliability needs have to be balanced by budget constraints. In this blog, we go over some of the benefits of using skid systems for your applications.

Engineering doesn’t just take place at your desk anymore. Whether it’s in meetings, in the field, or on the road, you have work to do. That’s why we’ve listed the top 5 apps for that engineers should have.

Back in December of 2015, the Nuclear Industry kicked off an initiative called Delivering the Nuclear Promise. Headed by NEI and industry leaders, the goal is to help reduce operating costs. Nuclear plants have felt the pinch from low electricity prices due to the natural gas glut, and this spending cut isn't a second too late.

Sometimes the hardest part of a project is answering the question “What is it?” and the immediate follow-up “What is the governing code?” The governing code and its requirements can have a big impact on project cost and project success.

Putting in the simplest form, analysis is just the simplification of real world to an engineer, with a measure of how much assumption is put in the analysis process. Lesser the assumptions; more accurate and close is the result to real world situation. However, stress analysis, in actual practices and from technical perspective isn’t just as easy as it is to write.

Using structural shell elements in finite element analyses saves computational time when analyzing thin-walled parts and structures. But engineers and analysts require experience to best utilize the output. Unlike solid elements, where stresses are typically straightforward to understand, the analyst must be even more careful and be mindful of several questions when interpreting shell element stresses.

Spare parts management is a complicated, laborious - but critically important - aspect of nuclear plant operation. Ensuring that the right part is available at the right time and the right place requires detailed inventory management, diligent quality control, exacting acceptance testing, etc. 3D Printing to the Rescue!

When engineers think of fasteners, they usually think along traditional lines: screws, nuts, bolts, cotter pins and washers, rivets, etc. But if these same engineers are tasked with reducing costs, they look outside of their comfort zone for a fastener that will do the job and meet their reduction targets.

Pound on a bone with enough force and it’ll break. Just where, though, depends on whether or not bone behaves like other structural materials. Researchers have long guessed it did—but they didn’t really know. Bone is famously strong stuff, surpassing reinforced concrete when it comes to withstanding compression forces.

Modeling how products, buildings, and structures hold up under everyday use involves solving intractable partial differential equations that calculate stresses under myriad loads. Using FEA is sometimes the only solution, but as always, the tool is only as good as the craftsman.

FEA is a digital way to test designs against predictable forces, to determine whether a design will fail and, if so, when and how the material will deform, snap, or collapse. As a central part of engineering analysis, FEA also helps ensure against risky under-design and costly over-design. Finite element analysis has migrated over the years from a purely academic pursuit into everyday product development.

Once commissioned tanks, pipes and pressure vessels begin to corrode. Periodic inspections identify degraded regions. Engineers then assess the reduced safety margins and determine if repairs are necessary. This process is known as a Fitness for Service (FFS) Assessment. Finite Element Analysis can be used to aid in FFS assessments by predicting stresses in complex geometry with large areas of wall thinning.

When I volunteered to judge the Finger lakes FIRST Robotics competition, I had no idea how much I was about to learn about business, and about how strongly teamwork correlates to success.

It's a battle as old as Finite Element Analysis. How do you achieve accurate results while balancing size and solve time of a FEA model? Simple models may solve quickly, but are the results accurate? And, complex models may provide very accurate results, but solve time could be hours or even days. In this blog we'll discuss Convergence & Mesh Independence and see how it relates to this age-old battle.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool for evaluating complex structural problems. Like all analytical software, bad results stem from bad input. We call it the "Garbage in, Garbage Out" principle of FEA. Sometimes, with perfect inputs, you can still get the wrong answer using FEA. There are a lot of ways that your finite element analysis can take a wrong turn. So how do you know if your results are correct? The answer is validation and verification (V&V). This week we'll apply V&V to a simple beam bending problem.

Pressure testing ensures that tanks, vessels and piping systems, are correctly constructed. Testing ensures the integrity of flanged joints and threaded connections. In this week's blog we'll provide an overview of: objectives of pressure testing, code requirements, types of tests and hazards.

FLEX compliance can be a challenging inspection for your site. The NRC will typically send a few inspectors, and the inspection will last the better part of a week. During that time, the NRC is going to inspect by asking questions about your FLEX strategy

The amount of time and effort that goes into making sure that nuclear plants safe is incredible. In the early 80s, Sandia National Labs (SNL) and Argonne National Labs (ANL) started a testing program for testing Reactor Containments. The pinnacle of the series of tests was the 1/4 scale model of a typical PWR Containment

FEA Drop Tests Today, more and more manufacturers are switching to analytical drop tests before anything goes into production. This helps save time and money, getting your products to market faster, but there’s more than just saving time and money, FEA offers some benefits that drop testing simply can’t do.

The User Group What’s the best way to get the nuclear industry’s best minds together to discuss trends and solutions? Form a User’s Group! The Nuclear Industry has formed a number of user groups because they recognize that collaboration is key.

We often get asked, "How do you refuel a Nuclear Reactor?". It seems daunting, considering that the fuel is radioactive, and you certainly can't touch it!

We can perform impact analyses in lieu of drop tests to verify structural integrity. This is an example of a dropped shipping container.

RG&E's Station 5 will have generated green, emission free energy for 100 years this year. That's quite an accomplishment.

We thought it’d be fun to showcase some of our tools using a new series we call Crash Test Tuesday. This week, we’re going to start with a simple car crash. Who do you think would win in this crash – Geo Metro vs. 3/4 Ton pickup truck.

FLEX is incredibly powerful because the equipment can be used for any disaster that might face a nuclear plant. Even the disasters that we can't think of right now.

One of the most important things to consider in design is how it will be installed. We find that accounting for the installer allows projects to get installed faster, and with less issues.

Even the best designs can have shortfalls. For example, this roof scupper is supposed to carry runoff to the drainage basin below; problem is... It Doesn't!