CENTRIFUGE MODELING OF BURIED PIPELINES RESPONSE DUE TO REVERSE FAULTING

Buried pipelines are commonly used to transport water, gas and oil. They are classified as lifelines as they carry materials essential to the support of human life. Due to the importance of lifelines survivability, it is of prime importance to study their threats to mitigate damages. Permanent ground deformation (PGD) such as fault crossing and lateral spreading are some of the most important threats for pipelines. Especially, localized PGD or faulting is a severe hazard for them. Many analytical, numerical and statistical researches have been done since almost four decade ago, but their results must be evaluated and verified by records of field case histories. As well-documented field case histories are quite limited, physical modeling can be used for verification. Physical modeling includes 1g modeling (full-scale or near full-scale) and centrifuge modeling. Centrifuge modeling is somehow preferred to 1g modeling for its accuracy, validity and expense point of view, especially for pipeline modeling with very long effective unanchored length. This study focuses on behavior and response of buried continuous pipelines subjected to reverse faulting using centrifuge modeling technique. In this technical paper laboratory equipments, modeling setup and procedure and split-box container are demonstrated. Especially, physical characteristics of the university of Tehran centrifuge are described. Finally the recorded strains induced in model pipelines are presented

کلیدواژه ها:

Centrifuge Modeling ، Faulting ، Lifelines ، Pipeline ، Earthquake