SOIL-PIPE INTERACTION OF FAULT CROSSING SEGMENTED BURIED DUCTILE IRON PIPELINES SUBJECTED TO DIP FAULTINGS

Abstract

 This study investigates the necessity of considering different soil resistance against pipeline relative movement in upward and downward directions. In this way, results of FEM analyses are verified by experimental tests on a segmented ductile iron pipeline with 93mm diameter and 15m length installed at a 60cm depth from the ground surface in the moderate dense sand backfill condition. Fault movement, totally 35cm, has three same steps occurring in reverse way and intersection angle of 60 degrees with the pipe. This study demonstrates how assuming same resistance for soil against both upward and downward relative movements of pipeline, as suggested in JGA guideline, eventuates in imprecise FEM models.