Pipe-rack in s. Croce sull’Arno

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The project is part of a wider project for a new pipe-rack for the industrial area of Santa Croce sull’Arno (Pisa). The new lines grant the disposal of the industrial and civil wastewater from Castelfranco di Sotto and Santa Croce sull’Arno, and the possible reuse of the water for industrial purposes.

The peculiarity of these lines is the structure, with an approximated span of 30 m, realized with 6 self-supporting steel pipes. The static scheme of the beam is a simple bearing, in order to limit any possible thermal expansion, an important problem for stainless steel. The volumetric variations are permitted by longitudinal holes in the supports, with the insertion of a teflon layer and reinforced neoprene mechanisms.  All structural connections are welded and realised in workshop. The only bolted connections are between the different parts of the pipes (CHS), divided into shorter 12 m segments to be transported by road. The hydrostatic seal is given by a series of stainless bolts (class 80), and by the presence of O-rings, dimensioned with a proper FEM model with 3D-brick elements, simulating the effective stress on the joint.