Plastic limit loads of nozzles in cylindrical vessels under out-of-plane moment loading

The purpose of this paper is to study the plastic limit moment of nozzles in cylindrical vessels with different d/D ratios under out-of-plane moment loading. Three full size test models were designed and fabricated. A 3D nonlinear finite element numerical simulation was also performed. A twice-elastic-slope plastic moment on the nozzles was obtained approximately by use of load-displacement and load-strain curves. The results show that plastic loads determined by test and numerical simulation methods are in good agreement. The results can serve as a basis for developing an advanced design guideline by limit analysis for cylindrical vessels with a nozzle under external loads.