Calculators
Pipe Thermal Expansion & Loop Sizing
Simplified U-loop sizing per ASME B31.3. Thermal expansion coefficients for carbon steel, alloy steels, stainless, and nickel alloys by temperature band (ASME B31.3 Appendix C Table C-1). The α table below is editable — override any cell to match your project basis, or use the Custom row for a new material.
Thermal Expansion α — ASME B31.3 App C Table C-1
Values in inches per 100 ft of pipe, total expansion from 70°F installation temperature to the listed design T. Edit any cell to match your project basis; values between bands are linearly interpolated at calc time.
| Material | 200 °F | 400 °F | 600 °F | 800 °F | 1000 °F |
|---|
Code: ASME B31.3 Process Piping, Appendix C Table C-1 (thermal expansion). Loop formula: Lloop = √(3·E·D·Δ / (144·SA)) — simplified guided-cantilever / U-loop sizing. Always confirm with a formal flexibility analysis (Caesar II / ROHR2 / AutoPIPE) for safety-critical piping.
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© 2026 Inflection Point Engineering, LLC. All rights reserved.