Phone: +1-281-920-9775

Paulin Research Group will offer several webinars that discuss various subjects of interest to piping and pressure vessel designers and engineers. Presentation times are typically scheduled for thirty minutes or less and attendees are encouraged to submit questions during and after the webinars.

Earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs)

Please note that attendee email addresses are used for PDH verification. All requests for PDH certificates will be vetted against the attendee email address list. Each participant wanting a PDH certificate must attend under their own email address and not as a group.

System Requirements

PC-based attendees: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 or newer

Scheduled Webinars

Piping and Vessel Problems to Avoid – Examples (part 2)


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Thermal cycles and their effect on fatigue failure and design are discussed. Inspection based reduction of SIFs is covered numerically so that users understand which parts of B31.3 Chapter VI - Inspection, Examination, ... can be used to reduce stress intensification factors. Comment

FE107, FESIF and the Piping Checklist (Repeat)


Presenter: Casey Barlow and Fred Hendrix
Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Using PRG software tools to remove uncertainty in stress analysis. Register to attend

Piping and Pressure Vessels – When to Worry – Examples”


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Cumulative effects that are all detrimental to system survival are quantitatively discussed. Examples are shown demonstrating how real safety factors can be less than unity. Ways to avoid potential problems with in these cases are recommended. Critical components can be moved or reoriented to reduce the probability of failure. Register to attend

CAD and Pipestress


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

There are common errors made when CAD models are converted into analysis models. The errors are not unique, but the CAD conversion process seems to exacerbate these issues. A list, discussion and examples are presented. Register to attend

Pipe & Pressure Vessel Ethics – Conditions of Disagreement


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

With variations in the Codes and discussions of code accuracy and safety, a point may be reached where an engineer must voice opposition to designs when he believes they will jeopardize the safety of the public, plant personnel, or the owners investment. Methods for voicing these concerns and ethical requirements are discussed. Register to attend

Common Piping Errors and Ways to Avoid Them


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

There are several common procedural and analytical errors associated with pipe stress analysis. Mr. Paulin, the original author of CAESAR II, shares his experiences regarding piping errors and how to avoid them. Procedural errors involve user checking and program assumptions. Analytical errors involve situations where users omit certain model characteristics and obtain results that are either conservative or non-conservative. Mr. Paulin discusses those characteristics and when they are most important. Large diameter pipe and seismic analysis are mentioned to be major areas of concern. Comment

PVP Failure vs. Calculation and a Common Problem


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:00 PM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

The Paulin Research Group (PRG) lab in Houston Texas conducts numerous fatigue and burst tests in all cases comparing the results to actual ASME Code predictions. Mr. Paulin demonstrates the range of typical safety factors and addresses items that can affect the magnitude of those safety factors. Pictures of common failures are shown. Stiffness effects of large diameter pipe are shown causing problems with rotating equipment and eliminating problems with nozzle loads. Comment

New Aspects 2007 ASME Section VIII Div 2


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Several aspects of the 2007 version of ASME Section VIII Division 2 are discussed. Part 4 - design by rule and part 5 design by analysis are contrasted, and ASME Section VIII Division 1 rules are contrasted with some ASME Section VIII Division 2 Part 4 rules. Opportunities for Code users to size a vessel thickness based on analysis is discussed. An estimated cost savings for one thick walled reactor analyzed by PRG is given. Comment

Fatigue Design with ASME and other Worldwide Codes


Presenter: Chris Hinnant
Tuesday, March 04, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Numerous fatigue design methods exist in today's pressure equipment design codes. Codified methods include provisions for non-welded and welded regions of pressure equipment. This discussion will highlight important considerations when designing for cyclic service and differentiate the various fatigue design methods available to the practicing engineer. In addition, revisions to the ASME fatigue design methods in the 2007 Section VIII, Division 2 will be discussed. Comment

Analytical Gasket Properties and Leakage


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Thursday, March 06, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Different types of gaskets and their characteristics are discussed. Tests performed at Paulin Research Group are shown. A discussion of leakage is provided along with how to relate leakage to flange analytical models. The ROTT test is described and the method used to convert its results into gasket mechanical properties is shown. Comment

Part 2 Fatigue Design – Fatigue Evaluation with ASME Section VIII Div 2, 2007


Presenter: Chris Hinnant
Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

A review of the two fatigue design methods available in the 2007 ASME VIII Division 2 code will be given. Differences between the methods and comparisons with fatigue test data are discussed. Comment

Beams (CAESAR, AutoPIPE, Triflex, etc), vs. Shells (WRC?) vs. Bricks (FEA) - Who's Right?


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

The accuracy of calculated stresses in beam, shell and brick (volumetric) analysis as it relates to pressure vessels and piping is discussed. Examples are provided. Comment

Part 3 Fatigue Design - Comparison of Fatigue Design Lives Using ASME, BS, and EN Design Codes


Presenter: Chris Hinnant
Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

A comparison of the allowable fatigue lives for some common weld geometries is given. ASME VIII-2, BS-5500, and EN-13445 code methods will be directly compared based on their allowed fatigue lives and compared against PRG experimental test data. Comment

Rules of Thumb for Expert Analysis of Piping Systems


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Risk based evaluations of piping systems are discussed. Some methods that are typically used and the effect on the need for an expert analysis is demonstrated by example. The impact on pipe stress analysis and the need for model checking or model is illustrated. Comment

What is 100% of the Allowable Stress for Pipes and Pressure Vessels?


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

There is a misconception by some that failure is imminent when the calculated stress is at 100% of the Code allowable. Actual proximity to failure is discussed for the B31 and ASME Section VIII Codes. Comment

External Loads on Nozzles (Comparisons of WRC107, B31, EN13445, VIII Div2 and.Mean-Life-to-Failure)


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

A brief look at primary (weight and pressure), and secondary (thermal?) loads on nozzles (and branch connections?) The discussion includes comparisons against failure, a discussion of what failure means for each of the different loads, and how the different Codes and documents deal with each particular failure mechanism. Comment

External Loads on Nozzles (Comparisons of WRC107, B31, EN13445, VIII Div2 and Mean-Life-to-Failure) (Part 2)


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Part 2 of this presentation covers non-typical nozzle constructions, including those with large D/T, hillsides, pads, laterals and contributory pressure loads. FEA methods for dealing with geometries that are well outside of WRC or B31 intended parameters are discussed. Comment

FE107, FESIF and the Piping Checklist


Presenter: Casey Barlow and Fred Hendrix
Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Using PRG software tools to remove uncertainty in stress analysis. Comment

Buckling of Piping Components (Part 1a). Buckling of Pressure Vessel Components (Part 1b)


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

B31 Code rules do not include consideration for buckling due to external loads on pipe or elbows. ASME Section VIII Division 2, 2007 - Part 4.4 Includes rules for various external loads on cylinders and vessel components. Section VIII Code cases which form the basis of the rules will also be shown. Extensions of the code case not written into the Section VIII Code (that have application to piping will also be covered.) Comment

FRP Pipe Failures and Lessons to Be Learned


Presenter: Hans Bos, Ph. D.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Dr. Hans Bos travels around the world for various operating companies and FRP pipe vendors trouble-shooting installations and providing guidance for design. Dr. Bos' company: Dynaflow Engineering has developed it's own plastic pipe support and design specifications for both small and large bore FRP pipe. Comment

Piping Problems to Avoid - Examples (Part 1)


Presenter: Tony Paulin, P. E.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 9:00 AM (Houston time) Convert to your local time

Numerical examples demonstrating a number of the issues addressed in previous webinars are provided. Mr. Paulin discusses how to avoid these pitfalls, and gives a quantitative understanding of the types of errors that can be produced. SIFs, flexibilities, and friction are addressed specifically. The user is shown how to determine when SIFs and flexibilities can be important. Comment