Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Buried Flexible Pipes
Abstract
Buried pipes perform a key role in urban centers, including multiple
functions from fluid transport to electric lines conduction. Usually, flexible pipes
design is developed by means of approximate formulations derived from the
elasticity theory (v.g. Spangler Iowa). Although there are many studies about the
interaction between a soil and a buried pipe, several failures are observed in these
systems. In order to reduce the pipe deflections and stresses, the system
reinforcement with a geosyntethic is proposed. The present paper shows the results
of a parametric study about the interaction between a flexible buried pipe (e.g.
polyester reinforced with fiberglass pipe - PRFV) with the surrounding soil and a
geosynthetic acting as a reinforcement element. For the analysis of the soil-pipegeosynthetic interaction and behavior, a bidimensional finite element model was
built using PLAXIS software. By means of the numeric model, the contribution of
the geosynthetic as a function of the soil and pipe stiffness was determined. The
influence of the geosynthetic burial depth on the pipe deflection is also analyzed.
The maximum geosynthetic contribution is observed for the case of pipe trenches
excavated on rigid natural soils backfilled with softly compacted materials in order
to avoid pipe damage.