An analogy of linear atom chains in seismodynamics of underground pipelines

Abstract

In the problem of coupled seismic vibrations of an elastic medium and a segmented pipeline equipped with flexible joints, an analogy to a linear chain of lumped masses is discussed. This analogy leads to a simple approach to study the seismodynamics of underground pipelines by reducing the problem for a medium to a one-dimensional one devoted to the shear vibrations of a cylindrical layer. As examples, a number of equations describing the coupled motions of pipelines are proposed with consideration of the viscoelastic properties of the medium or the viscoelastic deformation at the joints.