Simulating Seismic Wave Motions for Pipeline Design

摘要

This paper presents a methodology for more accurately simulating synchronized seismic wave motions along buried pipelines compared to techniques in use today. This phenomenon, referred to as seismic wave propagation, is typically modeled using a single input motion propagated along the pipeline axis with a speed arbitrarily chosen from either shear or surface wave speed ranges. The selection of wave propagation speed is the biggest source of uncertainty in the analysis and can result in measurable differences in pipeline longitudinal strain. Results using the new method also confirmed that the potential impact of seismic wave propagation on buried modern steel oil/gas pipelines is small, well within the range implicit in stress-based design. In addition to confirming the low levels of longitudinal strain in straight sections, designers can also use this methodology to calculate strains in pipeline bends, tees, etc., where the potential exists for strain amplification.