Seismic Design of Buried Steel Water Pipelines

The present paper provides an overview of available tools and provisions for the structural analysis and design of buried welded (continuous) steel water pipelines in seismic areas, subjected to earthquake action. Both transient and permanent ground actions (coming from tectonic faults, landslides, and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading) are considered. Specific issues are discussed on the modeling of the interacting pipeline-soil system using either simple analytical models or nonlinear finite elements, and their main advantages and disadvantages are pinpointed. Subsequently, the resistance of buried pipelines is discussed, with emphasis on possible failure modes. Finally, possible mitigations measures for reducing seismic effects are discussed for the safe operation of steel water pipelines against seismic hazard.