Enhanced performance of buried pipelines subjected to ground movements

在石油和天然气工业中广泛使用的埋地管道，地面运动是非常有害的。虽然地面运动引起的管道故障并不常见，但它们往往会导致重大泄漏，这可能会在损害控制和清理方面花费巨大。目前的技术提供了先进的工具来确定地面运动可能性高的地区及其预期的方向和幅度。一个实用的、先进的缓解措施可以帮助管道行业一方面防止管道由于地面运动而破裂，另一方面保护环境和公众。本研究项目探讨了一种新的缓解方法，以防止管道故障，由于地面运动使用一种特殊类型的正交各向异性缓冲器在地面运动敏感地区。本课题的主要研究内容有四个：1）通过有限元数值模拟，研究缓冲元件对地面运动引起的位移作用下埋地管道稳定性的影响; 2）通过现场试验，研究缓冲元件对埋地管道稳定性的影响; 3）开发一个有效的数值数据集来预测埋地管道在压力作用下的局部和整体响应;提出设计公式和建模技术，以模拟管道在各种地面运动组合下的响应。为了实现这些目标，研究小组将进行实地测试并采用数值模拟。我们还将为从业人员的日常工作提供改进的建模和设计建议，从而提高管道的安全性和可靠性。所提出的解决方案可以显着增加管道的能力，以承受大幅度的位移所造成的自然力，如地震，边坡破坏，边坡蠕变，断层滑动等。

Ground movements can be very detrimental to buried pipelines that are extensively used in oil and gas industry. Although pipeline failures caused by ground movements are not frequent, they often result in major spills that could be extremely costly in damage control and clean ups. Current technologies provide advanced tools to identify areas with high probability of ground movements and their expected direction and magnitude. A practical and advanced mitigation measure can help pipeline industry to prevent pipe rupture due to ground movements in one hand and to protect the environment and the public on the other hand. This research project investigates a novel mitigation method to prevent pipeline failure due to ground movements using a special type of orthotropic buffers employed in areas susceptible to ground movements. Our research project focuses on four key objectives: 1) evaluate, using numerical finite element simulations, the influence buffering elements on the stability response of buried pipelines under the displacement caused by ground movements; 2) assess, by means of field testing, the stability response of buried pipelines enhanced by buffering; 3) develop a validated numerical dataset to predict the local and global response of buried pipelines under compressive forces; and 4) propose design formulations and modeling techniques to simulate the pipe response under various combinations of ground movement. To achieve these aims, the research team will perform field tests and employ numerical modelling. We will also provide improved modeling and design recommendations to practitioners for their daily work, resulting in increased safety and reliability for pipelines. The proposed solution can remarkably increase pipe capacity to sustain large magnitudes of displacements caused by natural forces such as earthquakes, slope failures, slope creeps, fault slips, etc.