Fluid flow and internal pressure in a piping system may create intolerable forces and tensions

without adequately supporting of the piping structure.

Online Pipe Bend Resulting Force Calculator

The calculator below can used to calculate resulting force in a piping bend:
Metric Units
- density of fluid (kg/m3)
1000

d - int. diam. pipe or bend (m)

0.102

v - velocity of fluid (m/s)

20

- turning angle of bend (o)

45

p - gauge pressure (kPa)

100

Imperial Units

SG - specific gravity of fluid

1

d - int. diam. pipe or bend (inches)

4.03

v - velocity of fluid (ft/s)

66.7

- turning angle of bend (o)

45

p - gauge pressure (psi)

14.5

The required support force in a thrust block - or an anchor - for a bend depends on

the fluid mass flow, or flow velocity

the change of flow direction

the internal pressure

Resulting force due to Mass flow and Flow Velocity

The resulting force in x-direction due to mass flow and flow velocity can be expressed as:
Rx = m v (1 - cos)
= A v2 (1 - cos)

(1)
(1b)

= (d / 2)2 v2 (1 - cos)

(1c)

where
Rx = resulting force in x-direction (N)
m = mass flow (kg/s)
v = flow velocity (m/s)

 = turning bend angle (degrees)

= fluid density (kg/m3)
d = internal pipe or bend diameter (m)
= 3.14...
The resulting force in y-direction due to mass flow and flow velocity can be expressed as:
Ry = m v sin
= A v2 sin

(2)
(2b)

= (d / 2)2 v2 sin

(2c)

Ry = resulting force in y direction (N)

The resulting force on the bend due to force in x- and y-direction can be expressed as:
R = (Rx2 + Ry2)1/2

(3)

where
R = resulting force on the bend (N)

Example - Resulting force on a bend due to mass flow and flow velocity
The resulting force on a 45o bend with

diameter 114 mm = 0.114 m

water with density 1000 kg/m3

flow velocity 20 m/s

can be calculated by as
Resulting force in x-direction:
Rx = (1000 kg/m3) ((0.114 m) / 2)2 (20 m/s)2 (1 - cos(45))
= 1196 (N)
Resulting force in y-direction:

Ry = (1000 kg/m3) ((0.114 m) / 2)2 (20 m/s)2 sin(45)

= 2887 (N)
Resulting force on the bend
R = (1196 (N)2 + 2887 (N)2)1/2
= 3125 (N)
Note - if is 90o the resulting forces in x- and y-directions are the same.

Resulting force due to Static Pressure

The pressure and the end surfaces of the bend creates resulting forces in x- and y-directions.
The resulting force in x-direction can be expressed as
Rpx = p A (1- cos )

(4)

= p (d / 2)2 (1- cos )

(4b)

where
Rpx = resulting force due to pressure in x-direction (N)
p = gauge pressure inside pipe (Pa, N/m2)
The resulting force in y-direction can be expressed as
Rpy = p (d / 2)2 sin

(5)

where
Rpy = resulting force due to pressure in y-direction (N)
The resulting force on the bend due to force in x- and y-direction can be expressed as:
Rp = (Rpx2 + Rpy2)1/2

(6)

where
Rp = resulting force on the bend due to static pressure (N)

Example - Resulting force on a bend due to pressure

The resulting force on a 45o bend with

diameter 114 mm = 0.114 m

pressure 100 kPa

can be calculated by as
Resulting force in x-direction:
Rx = (100 kPa) ((0.114 m) / 2)2 (1 - cos(45))
= 299 (N)
Resulting force in y-direction:
Ry = (100 kPa) (0.114 (m) / 2)2 sin(45)
= 722 (N)
Resulting force on the bend
R = (299 (N)2 + 722 (N)2)1/2
= 781 (N)