IMPROVEMENT OF PIPELINE SETTLEMENT USING MICROPILES

Abstract

Loose sand soil is one of the problematic soils and according to that, buried pipelines interact with the loose sandy soil. Also, pipelines are subjected to additional stresses transmitted by the settlement of the loose sand soil which increases stresses and displacements in the pipes and eventually leads to breakage. Therefore, using micro-piles to improve soil below the pipeline is important. Praxis 3D numerical analysis software was used to investigate numerically the improvement of soil behaviour below pipeline Micro-piles installed as a cross piles configuration below pipeline and as a confining setup. Parameters studied are piles spacing, piles diameter, length, and effect of soil wetting. The pipeline was subjected to surface loads from a fully loaded truck. It was found that using micro-piles decreases slightly the settlement of pipelines resting on loose sands