On the nonlinear response of piping to seismic loads

The response of a piping system to extreme seismic conditions may be contro lled and limited by yielding of the structure. The effect of yielding has b een found to be decisive for individual components, but for complex systems , the effect of yielding may be either important or negligible, depending o n the specific geometry. Analytical and experimental tests are reviewed. Th e L test is devised to give an indication of the response characteristics o f the system. It has been found that a parameter related to the frequency s hift is capable of reasonably predicting the effect of yielding.