Nonlinear Numerical Optimization Design Applied to Wall-Thickness of Welding T Shaped Connecting HDPE Tube

There are two reasons to enlarge the thickness of welding HDPE tri-branch tube. Firstly, welding weakens the HDPE material properties. Secondly, stress concentration occurs at the joint of tri-branch tube. The material properties of HDPE and the tensile strength of welding HDPE were tested. Based on the test results, the wall-thickness of HDPE tri-branch tube was investigated by numerical optimization design with particle swarm optimization (PSO). Two material constitutive models of elasto-palstic and Ramberg-Osgood for HDPE are adopted in FEM. Some valuable conclusions of pipeline design are concluded by the distribution of stress contour curves and optimization curves of welding joint of HDPE tri-branch tube.