What is Piping Design?

In plant facilities, piping plays a central role in connecting critical equipment such as pumps, heat exchangers, and turbines. These components can be thought of as the vital organs of the system, each performing a specific and essential function. Piping, then, serves as the arteries and veins—enabling the flow of fluids that allow the entire facility to function as a living, integrated whole. While each piece of equipment is important on its own, it is the piping system that brings them together into a working operation.

For instance, around a turbine, piping must supply high-pressure steam from the boiler while also safely discharging condensate or excess steam. Each pipe must be designed not only for its technical function but also to navigate the physical constraints of a densely packed plant environment.

Piping systems must accommodate a wide range of fluids at varying pressures, temperatures, and flow rates. This requires careful coordination across multiple disciplines to ensure that mechanical, structural, safety, and maintenance considerations are all addressed.

At its core, piping design is about more than just connecting components—it's about enabling safe, efficient, and long-lasting plant operations. A well-executed piping design supports the overall performance of the facility and contributes significantly to its reliability and maintainability.

Design and Engineering Process

Planning (1)

• Using equipment layout drawings and related documents, a preliminary routing plan is developed to determine how piping systems will be arranged throughout the facility.

• This early stage establishes a foundational path for efficient, coordinated piping design.

Planning (2)

• Piping specifications are defined for each system based on key factors such as temperature, pressure, and fluid type.

• These specifications guide the selection of appropriate materials and design standards, ensuring each system meets functional and safety requirements.

Initial Design

• Representative piping lines are selected for preliminary stress analysis to identify critical areas and potential design challenges.

• Rough quantity take-offs are also performed at this stage to provide early estimates of material needs and associated costs.

Detailed Design

• Comprehensive stress analyses are conducted for high-priority and critical piping lines. These evaluations confirm that the piping can withstand various operating conditions and comply with all relevant codes and safety standards.

• Simultaneously, the effects of piping loads on connected equipment and support structures are assessed to ensure the integrity and reliability of the overall system.

At RISE, our core expertise lies in the Detailed Design phase. We work closely with equipment, structural, and civil teams to ensure that piping systems are not only technically sound, but also constructible, maintainable, and fully integrated with the plant’s infrastructure.

In the Detailed Design phase of piping projects, our responsibilities are broadly divided into three main tasks: Preparation of Isometric Drawings, Stress Analysis, and Preparation of Calculation Reports.

What is Isometric Drawing?: An isometric drawing is a schematic that illustrates the shape and routing of piping in a simplified line diagram. It clearly indicates piping specifications, locations of accessories such as valves, and nozzle positions on connected equipment.
What is Stress Analysis?: Based on piping plans and isometric drawings, the piping system is modeled in 3D with its specifications and geometry. Load conditions are then applied to assess the safety of the piping system. These loads typically include thermal loads, seismic forces, wind loads, and vibration.

We primarily use advanced analysis software such as AutoPIPE and CAESAR II to carry out these evaluations with accuracy and efficiency.

Seismic Assessment of Piping Systems

In response to aging infrastructure and growing awareness of earthquake resilience, demand for seismic assessment of piping systems has increased significantly in recent years.

Seismic assessment involves developing a detailed 3D model of the actual piping layout and performing structural analysis under defined seismic conditions. Key factors considered include support configurations, pipe routing, loading conditions, and system constraints.

The main objectives are to identify:
• Structurally critical areas, such as overstressed points or excessive displacements
• Overdesign, which can lead to unnecessary material use and increased costs

If the analysis reveals that stress, displacement, or reaction forces exceed allowable limits, appropriate countermeasures must be implemented. These may include:
• Adding or modifying pipe supports (anchors, guides, hangers, etc.)
• Adjusting the pipe layout to reduce stress concentration or improve flexibility

Even if a system appears acceptable visually, localized excessive forces or moments can exist. For this reason, thorough evaluation of numerical results is essential. A key challenge in seismic assessment is managing two opposing effects:
1. Displacement (Response Displacement) – movement caused by seismic ground motion
2. Inertial Forces – forces resulting from the mass of the piping system reacting to acceleration

An effective seismic design must account for both, ensuring that the system maintains structural integrity under seismic loading.

Through careful analysis and evaluation, we help our clients achieve safe and resilient piping systems that meet the demands of modern seismic design standards.

Our Approach to Piping Design

Piping design and seismic assessment must be approached with utmost precision, particularly because many systems handle highly flammable or toxic substances. For example, piping connected to storage tanks that contain large volumes of hazardous materials must be designed to prevent even the slightest damage or leakage.

In petrochemical and chemical plants, many piping systems fall under the jurisdiction of the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act. This field is governed by a wide range of complex regulations and requires a deep level of technical expertise. Unlike general piping, high-pressure gas piping is subject to mandatory seismic assessments that must consider multiple potential scenarios and failure modes.

Close coordination with all stakeholders is essential from the earliest design phases to ensure that the project schedule accounts for regulatory processes. When modifying high-pressure gas piping, construction cannot proceed without prior approval from the relevant local authorities. As a result, strict schedule management and timely submission of documents are critical to avoid delays. Additionally, seismic design requirements may vary depending on specific government guidelines, official notifications, or unique criteria set by local municipalities. Therefore, it is vital to confirm all applicable conditions with the plant operator and governing agencies before conducting any seismic assessments.

Piping design is more than just an engineering task—it is a critical discipline that safeguards human lives and protects the environment. It plays a key role in helping clients achieve operational success through safe, compliant, and reliable systems. As engineers, we remain committed to deepening our understanding of relevant laws and engineering practices, taking a holistic and safety-first approach in every project we undertake.