Analysis of piping stress intensification factors based on numerical models

Paper presents review of the existing equations for stress intensification factors widely used in the engineering practice. Based on a significant number of data points obtained by means of numerical (i.e. finite element) analysis it has been shown that the existing equations may yield non-conservative results which may lead to underestimate of piping stresses. New equations have been proposed which are a better fit to both numerical data and the experimental data used to establish the original stress intensification factors.