Gas Speak Colloquium 2011

Determination of Soil Restraint Properties and

Calculation of Virtual Anchor Lengths in Buried Pipelines

Daniel Tian
Mechanical Engineer
KBR
Introduction

What is Pipe
Pipe-Soil
Soil Interaction?
Behavior of buried pipeline in the surrounding soil
Pipe and soil together form the engineered system

Soil Restraint Properties

p
Relationship between soil resistance and pipe movement

Virtual Anchor Length

Pipe section moving relative to the soil near directional change
Why now?

Risk based pipeline design approach (AS2885)

Challenges facing pipeline design

in Australia
Higher pressures
Larger diameters

Telfer Brooklyn Lara

Brooklyn-Lara Iona Orford
Iona-Orford Queensland
Pipeline Pipeline Pipeline CSG Pipeline
Size (DN) 250 500 450 1050
Length
g (km)
( ) 443 65 101 Over 1000
MAOP (MPag) 10.2 10.2 15.3 10.2 / 15.3
WT (mm) 4.7 7.9 9.1 14.1 / 18.7
Material API 5L X60 API 5L X70 API 5L X70 API 5L X70
Onshore Pipeline Uplift, Uzbekistan
Subsea Oil Pipeline Failure, Brazil, 2000
Purpose of Calculating Pipe-Soil Interaction

Soil restraint input into Pipe Stress Analysis (AutoPipe or Caesar II)
Virtual anchor length to define model boundary

Above-Ground Facilities - Buried Pipeline

p Sections

(soil restraint is the fundamental part)

Compressor Station Major Water Crossing

Determination of Soil Restraint Properties
Longitudinal Transverse
Actual

Vertical Upward Vertical Downward

Elastic-Plastic Soil Spring

p g
Determination of Soil Restraint Properties

Soil and Pipe Properties: Elastic-Plastic Soil Springs:

Unit Weight () Soil Stiffness (K1)
Undrained Shear Strength (Su) Ultimate Soil Resistance (P1)
Angle of Internal Friction ()
Pipe Diameter (D) ALA
Depth of Cover (H)
AutoPipe

Peng
ALA Method for Calculating Pipe-Soil Interaction

Widely recognised and applied

Advanced soil modeller in Caesar II

Based on laboratory and field

experimental
i t l iinvestigations
ti ti

Formulas available for design factors

Limitation:
Under-estimate vertical upward
resistance (Appendix B)
AutoPipe Method for Calculating Pipe-Soil Interaction

Detailed in AutoPipe Technical Reference Manual

Based on laboratory and field

experimental
i l iinvestigations
i i

Limitations:
Li it ti
Design factors need to be
determined from tables
and charts

(Pipe-Soil Appendix)
Pengs Method for Calculating Pipe-Soil Interaction

First published in 1978

Basic Soil Modeller in Caesar II

Limitations:
Preliminary
P li i estimation
ti ti
Based on theoretical soil mechanics

(Chapter 10)
KBR Pipe-Soil Interaction Calculation Sheet

Each of the 3 established methods

has strengths and weaknesses.

Compare results from 3 methods

and choose which method is suitable
for a particular application

Calculate input data for stress

software package
 Typical Soil Properties

Soft Normal Stiff Loose Medium Dense

Soil Type
Clay
y Clay
y Clayy Sand Sand Sand
Dry Unit Weight
1600 1800 2000 1600 1800 2000
(kg/m3)
Undrained
Shear Strength 5 25 100 0 0 0
(kP )
(kPa)
Internal Friction
0 0 0 25 30 40
Angle ()
()

To be used when soil data is not available for critical locations

Soft clayy worst design

g case for unknown soil
 DN1000, 1.2m Cover, Soft Clay Condition, Various Methods

Vertical Upward
DN1000, 1.2m Cover, Soft Clay Condition, Various Methods
Transverse
DN1000, 1.2m Cover, Soft Clay Condition, Various Methods
Longitudinal
Vertical
Downward
Calculation of Virtual Anchor Length in Buried Pipeline
Distance from bend, tee or A/G-U/G transition to the point
where pipe axial strain is completely suppressed by soil.

La

Virtual Anchor Length La = Co A [ E + (0.5 - v) SHP] / Plong

Elastic Stress - Stress - Longitudinal

Factor Thermal Pressure Soil Resistance
Expansion Elongation
Virtual Anchor Lengths under Different Soil Conditions

DN1000, 1200mm Cover, 55C DT, 10.2MPag DP

Applications

Anchor Block
Requirement
at Pig Trap
Major
W t
Water
Crossing

Overbend at
Top of Hill
Depth of Cover Change
Pipeline Design Engineers Responsibility

Know how to use the right

engineering design tools

Do some research and

understand pipe-soil
interaction

Make sound engineering

judgement
Questions?
Disclaimer

These materials contain information of a general nature and are

provided for discussion p
p purposes
p only.
y Theyy do not in anyy
way represent engineering advice and KBR does not warrant the
accuracy, completeness or currency of the information in
these materials. Any person who uses or relies on these materials does
so entirely at their own risk.