Modelling of a pipeline subjected to soil mass movements

This paper presents the results of physical modelling tests carried out on a geotechnical centrifuge to investigate the influence of a soil mass movement on the behavior of a pipeline buried in a marine soil. In this study, a series of centrifuge tests was performed on a model pipeline buried in Roncador oil field marine clay. The soil mass movement was modelled using a vertical plate that pushed the soil towards the pipe. The test setup allowed the measurement of deformations and forces developed in the pipe during the consolidation of the soil and due to the soil movement. The influence of pipe embedment was also investigated through different tests with different soil heights above the pipe crest. The results indicate that the force transmitted to the pipeline decreases with the increase of the pipe freedom to displace when subjected to the soil loading. Additionally, the force on the pipe increases as the embedment ratio increases. The tests results were compared with different analytical approaches documented in the literature in order to understand the behavior of buried pipelines under similar loading conditions and to quantify the stresses and deformations, which are considered key inputs for any design procedure.