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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / maximum lenght of welded pipe that can be safely picked
- - By WELDICCAWSCWI (**) Date 09-21-2013 22:20
company has welded 120 feee of 6" sch 40 pipe together and plans to lift it
with no spreader bar I am concerned with the pipe being subjected to too much stress
I have never seen over 60 flown in at one time. is there a chart or formula to determine
the  max allowable length .. Thanks Joe
Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 09-22-2013 13:08
Man, all I can say is... Good luck with that.

If they try spreading the straps too far they will just slide toward the middle and not equally throwing the load off balance.  Besides being out of rigging parameters for angle of the lines. 

That's a lot of weight out past the picking point each direction. 

Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - - By WELDICCAWSCWI (**) Date 09-22-2013 14:00
Thanks Brent i spoke with crane operator he said he's uncomfotrable with the pick
but he's not going to say no. plans to shackle two twenty foot chokers  so he can get proper
pick angle.  i have the authority to stop the lift but ineed more than my gut feeling and 30 +
years experience telling me this is wrong.
Parent - - By Stringer (***) Date 09-22-2013 15:37
I believe you have everything you need to reconsider the situation...
Parent - By TRC (***) Date 09-22-2013 21:01 Edited 09-22-2013 21:55
We do 80' of 6", .188 X42/52 all the time with a hoe and two 15' choked slings. Ive seen others pick up same with one sling. If the operator snaps the load it will bend the pipe with one sling.  If the crane is adequate I would at least do a trial pick under controlled situation.  The only assumption here is the welds are to a code other than Farm Code 2013.
Parent - By MMyers (**) Date 09-24-2013 18:37
You have access to engineers?  If so, have them calculate the bending stress the pipe will see during the lift and see if it's enough to damage the pipe.
Parent - - By G.S.Crisi (****) Date 09-24-2013 00:03
120 feet is roughly 36 meters.
My suggestion: do not pick up the pipe by the ends because it'll develop a large deflection. Pick it up by two points that are between the ends and the middle of the pipe. The location of these two points should be the one that gives the least deflection. The calculation is not that difficult to make. Consider the pipe as circular beam supported on those two points. It's worthwhile to calculate also the maximum stress the pipe will be subject to due to its own weight and compare it to the allowable stress the pipe material withstands.

                                                  /                                                          \
                                    slings > /                                                             \
                        _____________/___________________________________\______________

Does this sketch clears up my suggestion?

Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil
Parent - - By F-17 (**) Date 09-24-2013 15:59
Still going to sag in between the slings,I've done pieces more than 120 feet, with a center purchase of two slings and a chainfall to help control the sag and in theory trussing the load.
Parent - - By G.S.Crisi (****) Date 09-24-2013 19:52
Of course it's going to sag; but as I said on my posting, the location of the lifting points should be calculated so as to give the least sag. Not that difficult to calculate. The chainfall you mention is a good idea. 
As Mike suggests, it's also good to calculate the bending stress of the pipe after it's been lifted.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Parent - - By JTMcC (***) Date 09-24-2013 20:41
120' of 6" is easy with two machines, harder but real doable with one. It's done many times every day but your conditions may (or may not) make it more difficult.

Picking 120' of 6" to a unhindered elevation of 20' is different than landing it at 200' over 220' of structural and in a far horizontal reach. The height you're flying to and the horizontal reach vs. cranes on hand is the real kicker.

As was already said an experienced pipe rigger with comealongs/chain falls and an assotment of chokers can do it easily but depending on the landing spot removing the large array of rigging can become a major endeavor=$$$$.

In the end you have to know the specific conditions on where it lands and the equipment available and plan the pick from there. Lowering in it's super easy, landing on an 80' high pipe rack (with 120' obstruction) it's mo harder. Having two 4100's with 300' of stick and 5 gang boxes of rigging to use it's all easy (if you have decent, experienced pipe riggers on hand), doing it with one way outstretched 30T hydo is a whole nuther endeavor.

So really there isn't enough information to give a semi-decent opinon via the interwebs. A large number of factors come into play in picking longer sections of pipe and you haven't detailed out any of them so far. So no one can really say at this point.

You have to balance the cost of making an additional weld or two (in what may be a difficult to impossible position) against the cost of a semi-complicated pick using the equipment available. It's not a simple decision but it's made hundreds of times per day.

J
Parent - By welderbrent (*****) Date 09-24-2013 23:02
Well said JT. 

To the OP, this is a man that you can trust to have done it and know what he is talking about. 

Some good suggestions.  You are the only one with enough information to make the final decision.

Have a Great Day,  Brent
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / maximum lenght of welded pipe that can be safely picked

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