The objective of this project is to develop a surface loading criterion for pipelines with shallow burial. The first phase, just completed, focused on field measurements and data acquisition of the stresses in shallow buried pipe while it is being crossed by heavy equipment. This data will be used to validate the current Spangler, Iowa and CEPA models used for surface load stress analysis for pipelines with shallow cover.
In the first phase of the work, conducted at the Spectra Energy Berme Station in Southeastern Ohio, pipe segments were instrumented and buried under realistic conditions. The line segments were instrumented with strain gauges in order to make direct measurements of the pipeline stresses as select heavy wheeled and tracked equipment including a vibratory compactor were deliberately driven across them. The field testing was successful. The data generated in this first phase will be used to validate the current Spangler, Iowa and CEPA models used for surface load stress analysis during Phase II of the research. The Phase I Reportis currently under review by the project team and is available to PRCI members.