A study on soil-pipe interaction: effects of slope grade

Transmission pipelines are the most popular and widely used medium to transport hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and gas) over long distances. Pipelines might pass through various geological and topographic conditions and therefore, pipeline routing is a critical component for successful design and regulatory approval. Due to the environmental and safety concerns or constraints imposed by the land use, pipeline routing often requires designers to allow for crossing adverse ground, e.g. steep slopes, valleys and faults. If a pipeline crosses along or across a slope, it might experience/trigger a landslide and therefore, pipelines need to be properly designed against such slope stability issue. Although a number of research has been conducted on pipesoil interaction in the past, none of them focused on the effect of slope grade on the pipe-soil interaction loading. This research will address the design issues related to the inclined ground surface and thereby, significantly improve the safety of current pipeline design practice.

Faculty Supervisor:

Pooneh Maghoul

Student:

Mohammad Katebi

Partner:

Northern Crescent

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Manitoba