NWEC (SMC – Townsville, Queensland, Australia)
NWEC required stress analysis and design verification of weld details on a cooling tower platform, pipe rack, reactor sub-rack and leaching tank platform for the SMC Townsville Zinc Refinery Plant (Townsville, Queensland). Stress analysis of the cooling tower platform structure, pipe rack, reactor sub-rack and leaching tank platform was required to be performed in accordance with standard AS 4100 to confirm structural integrity of the reinforcement plate weld details at typical connections (with worst case load actions) considering combined permanent, imposed (platform, piping), wind and seismic loads as per standards AS/NZS 1170.0, AS/NZS 1170.2 and AS 1170.4.
What we did:
- Performed stress analysis (structural assessment) of platform structures and pipe racks considering simplified global FE models combined with detailed connection FE sub-models (representing reinforcement plate/connection weld details) and applying combined permanent, imposed (platform, piping), wind and seismic loads.
- Determined peak connection distributed forces (along welded joints), verified welded joint capacities and confirmed design compliance with standard AS 4100.
- Reviewed and verified the assessment methodology, engineering calculations and simulation models/results for RPEQ certification.
Outcome:
Avesta Consulting verified compliance of the specified welded joint details of the cooling tower platform, pipe rack, sub-rack, reactor platform and leaching tank platform with standard AS 4100 and provided RPEQ certification.
