Dynamic Behavior of a Buried Pipe in a Seismic Environment

Abstract

Axisymmetric dynamic response of a buried pipe due to an incident compressional wave is the subject of this investigation. The pipe has been modeled as a thin cylindrical shell of linear homogeneous isotropic elastic material embedded in a linear isotropic homogeneous elastic medium of infinite extent. The response characteristics of the pipe due to changes in the material properties of the surrounding medium have been carefully studied. It is found that even at long wavelengths and low frequencies, the dynamic response is significantly altered by the changes in the Poisson’s ratio and the rigidity modulus of the surrounding medium. Further, it is found that there are real resonant frequencies of the pipe that are also significantly dependent on these quantities, as well as on the wavelength.