Abstract
The objective to extend the usable area of pipe supports up to plastic region is below; one is to enlarge the loading capacity, and the other is to add damping to piping systems using the absorption effect of seismic energy due to the elastic-plastic hysteresis property. To generate the energy absorption effect based on the elastic-plastic behavior of all pipe supports during the earthquake events, the small pipe supports are required in the small-bore piping due to the small seismic reaction. However, the structures to fix the piping on the wall are relative larger in fact. Taking into account the requirement and the specifications, a new hybrid type of elastic-plastic pipe support composed of the framework type component which is large and strong and the cantilever type component which is small and flexible is proposed in this study. The cantilever type component adds the damping by the plasticity and the framework type component protects the excessive deformation of the cantilever type component caused by the unanticipated plastic accumulation. This structure of the proposed supports is also useful for the practical design from the viewpoint of the safety design.
