Dynamic response and safety analysis of polyethylene pipeline under rockfall conditions

Abstract

AbstractThe safety of buried gas pipelines in mountainous cities is at risk due to potential hazards such as landslides and rock falls. To ensure the safety of pipelines, this paper develops a three‐dimensional dynamic response model to reveal the impact of rockfall radius, rockfall impact velocity, and pipe burial depth on the dynamic response of buried polyethylene pipelines (PE pipelines) under rockfall conditions. Subsequently, an orthogonal experimental design and analysis of variance (ANOVA) are performed to identify critical factors. Ultimately, a multi‐factor limit state equation is constructed to assess the safety of PE pipelines accordingly failure prevention actions for buried gas pipelines under the impact of rockfall is specified. Overall, this proposed method contributes to safety analysis of buried PE pipelines in rockfall‐prone areas.