COMPRESS' assumes that one saddle is fixed and that the other saddle is free to slide in the longitudinal

direction. Forces acting on the vessel in a horizontal direction are applied to the fixed saddle and the
"free" saddle is assumed to slide as necessary. Or more to the point, the free saddle cannot sustain any
force in the direction of the vessel axis.

But the assumption of a saddle base plate that is free to slide is relative. As we all know, if we push on
the kitchen table a certain amount of force is required before it begins to move across the floor. Once
the table has started sliding less force is required to keep it moving. These effects are the result of
friction. When the table is stationary the "static" coefficient of friction is effective in resisting movement
of the table. Once the applied force exceeds the "breakaway" force the table begins to slide because the
applied force has overcome the maximum resisting force possible with the static coefficient of friction.
Friction still exists once the table is moving but the coefficient of friction is smaller and is referred to as
the "dynamic" coefficient of friction.

The coefficient of friction used by COMPRESS is the static version. This value must be entered by the
designer based on the actual conditions of construction. The default value, 0.45, is relatively high and
would apply for a rough finished steel base plate on concrete or grout. The high value is used because it
leads to a conservative analysis (as will be seen later).

Why is the frictional force at the "free" saddle even considered? Consider a vessel subject to a high
temperature process, or even to very hot ambient temperatures (sunny day in Saudi Arabia). The vessel
length will "grow" due to thermal expansion. If this growth is resisted by mechanical constraint then a
force results. The resulting force is applied to both saddles. The "free" saddle is subject to this force but
it cannot slide or move until the breakaway force is exceeded, at that point the force is relieved by
movement of the saddle. Thus the maximum possible force that the free saddle is subject to is that
resulting from the coefficient of static friction. The force opposes the direction of movement and is the
product of the normal force (in this case, the weight) and the coefficient of friction. Of course, the actual
force due to thermal expansion may be less than the maximum possible force as considered by
COMPRESS.

The anchor bolts at the fixed saddle must resist the wind force, seismic force, and the force due to
thermal growth. COMPRESS applies the largest of these three forces to the anchor bolts at the fixed
saddle. (Perhaps this should be the larger of wind and seismic, combined with thermal growth.)

The "free" saddle can be made more "free" by providing a base that has less friction. This can result in
eliminating thermal growth as the controlling condition and possibly may allow use of smaller anchor
bolts. Less friction can be accomplished by any number of means: a metal wear plate on which the
saddle base plate rides, lubricated surfaces, elastomeric bearings of some sort, or teflon slide bearings
like Fluorogold bearings. Fluorogold isn't too expensive and is used a lot for pipe supports to allow
movement of the piping; it has a very low coefficient of friction (offhand I do not remember the exact
value). Also, don't overtighten the nuts on the anchor bolts at the sliding saddle!

One eng-tips member posted awhile back about some very large horizontal vessels in Saudi Arabia.
These things were around 20' dia x 200' long on two saddles. I think that consequently there would be
high loads (weight) acting on the saddles along with a high degree of thermal expansion. I wonder how
they detailed the sliding saddles for those vessels. That idea of a slide bearing with a roller (just like a
highway bridge) would likely work very well there.