What is thermal expansion?

Thermal expansion, expansion forces, extension/contraction of pipes and other services are effects of the media in relation to its current temperature/installation temperature, e.g. stainless-steel pipes being heated up or cooled down. We can easily find situations in our everyday life which might refer to this subject. A tangible example is when a car radiator gets over heated or when a railway bends on a sweltering summer day.


Fig1.

This is a well-known phenomenon among MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) designers and specifiers and has been considered in pipe design methods for a long time. However, only being aware of thermal expansion/contraction and where it might occur in pipe runs is not enough to stay on the safe side of the MEP-design and on the installation on site. We might have to control the actual expansion and steer it in a direction which is in favour for other services, building elements, equipment, or firestop penetrations. To do that, we need to know the prerequisites for the installation. We might also need to install fix/anchor points in combination with gliding or rolling elements to manage the actual expansion/contraction.

Another important action which must not be overlooked is how to manage the forces that will be transferred from a fix/anchor point into the actual base material in which it has been/will be bolted to, such as concrete, steel, or modular support systems.

Over the years, we at Hilti Engineering have often been contracted by MEP-designers, specifiers, and installers to consult and provide our experience in tricky situations where collapse in base materials, welded or modular supports, pipe joints and rods has led to costly damages caused by poor or even worse, no design of fixpoints and gliding elements at all. The question we often ask is if we may take part of the existing design report as it might help us to back track where it ended up wrong. Generally, we get the answer that no calculation of fixpoints or gliding elements has been conducted, or the forces have been underestimated.


Fig 2.Example of a bracket being bent by the impact of non-controlled thermal expansion forces, causing damage the pipe ring, rod or anchors.

Most often, we can still support with inspections, calculations, drawings, and hardware in a reactive approach, but the solution is not always the best in terms of cost and installation time as it is a bespoke solution based on the prerequisites on site.

However, by proactively considering thermal expansion and designing a sustainable solution at an early stage, we are not only preparing for a planned and budgeted installation on site, but we are also integrating the fixing points and gliders in the 3D/BIM model, claiming space, and preparing for clash detection.

It might sometimes be hard to navigate through the different scenarios you might find, for example in a big plant room or a riser shaft. To find the most optimised and cost-efficient solution for the project you need to know not only the expansion/contraction, and the forces, but also how to handle those parameters technically and how to manage the forces in relation to the base material.

At Hilti Engineering, we can support you in designing the most optimised solution in terms of lowest cost, clash controlling, documentation and minimal effort on site without compromising the quality. It doesn’t have to be complex, in fact, the earlier we act, the more simplified the design can become.

Fig 3. By proactively designing a solution for thermal expansion applications, we can assure that it is not only the material that is considered in the budget and BOM, but also make sure it is included in the model, ready for clash detection and planning.

We strongly believe in our total system solution-approach where we leverage not only our vast experience in the topic, but also our professional design services along with our latest software. To complete the offer, by designing a solution based on our comprehensive portfolio of modular support system MT, and our portfolio of fixpoints, pipe shoes and gliders, we can make sure your thermal expansion solution will fit its purpose, to ensure safety, productivity, and cost efficiency.

Don’t put your thermal expansion solutions in the waiting room, be proactive and turn your challenges into opportunities.


Fig 4.

Are you interested in learning more about the support we can offer with modular support systems, you can find more information here or contact 0800800100 to be put in contact with your local engineer.

You are also welcome to ask us for support: simply leave a comment or post your question in the community, or improve your knowledge and skills via our Webinars or training sessions.

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This article is part of an ongoing series dedicated to MEP topics, click here to learn more.