On the Response of Polyethylene Pipes to Lateral Ground Movements: Insights from Finite-Discrete Element Analysis
- PDF / 2,508,932 Bytes
- 13 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 22 Downloads / 192 Views
(2020) 6:15
ORIGINAL PAPER
On the Response of Polyethylene Pipes to Lateral Ground Movements: Insights from Finite‑Discrete Element Analysis Masood Meidani1 · Mohamed A. Meguid1 · Luc E. Chouinard1 Received: 9 February 2020 / Accepted: 10 May 2020 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract The current knowledge of the behaviour of polyethylene pipes subjected to lateral soil movement is limited and the commonly used design equations were initially developed for steel pipes. In this study, an attempt has been made to understand the soil–structure interaction using a three-dimensional finite-discrete (FE-DE) element model of a medium density polyethylene (MDPE) pipe buried in dense sand and subjected to lateral soil movement. The soil particles are modelled using discrete elements, while the pipe is modelled using finite elements and interface elements are introduced to transfer the forces between the two domains. Validation is performed using experimental data. This study shows that, when a pipe section experiences lateral movement induced by two symmetrically applied loads, the pipe will resist the imposed lateral forces by bending. Particle displacement patterns show that passive wedges develop locally close to the applied loads and the remaining pipe sections experience negligible deformation. Furthermore, it is found that the current expressions used to estimate the ultimate lateral soil force on buried pipes in granular soil, which is generally developed for rigid steel pipes, should be used with caution as they may overestimate the soil load on flexible MDPE pipes. Keywords Pipe–soil interaction · Coupled analysis · Flexible pipes · Ground movement
Introduction Buried pipes are widely used for transporting oil, gas and other water. Natural Resources Canada [1] reports that there are more than 800 thousand kilometres of transmission and distribution pipelines in Canada. Considering the significant benefits of pipelines to the economy, these infrastructures are considered as critical lifelines. Only in 2014, Canada has spent $1.5 billion on pipeline monitoring and maintenance to ensure public safety; however, the Transportation Board of Canada reported more than 1200 pipeline incidents occurred in Canada over the past 10 years. Part of these incidents are related to material corrosion, excavation damage or incorrect operation; however, permanent ground displacement
* Mohamed A. Meguid [email protected] Masood Meidani [email protected] Luc E. Chouinard [email protected] 1
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
(PGD) was found to be a major factor that causes pipeline failure. Permanent ground movements due to earthquakes, slope movements and landslides can impose unequal lateral displacements on the pipe and the surrounding soil leading to axial and flexural strains in pipe structure. The levels of pipe stresses and strains caused by PGD are function of: (i) the relative displacement between the soil and the buried pipe; (ii) the spatial distribution of the PGD; (iii) the ex
Data Loading...
