Experimental Study of Dynamic Deformation Processes in Gas Pipeline

Abstract

This paper is concerned with an experimental investigation of vibrations occurred in gas pipelines under different impact loads. The mechanical state of these objects is determined by the interaction between the processes taking place in the metal pipe, the ground in the vicinity of the pipe and the gas flow inside it. In the experiments, different pipeline vibration modes were investigated. Application of fiber-optic accelerometers made it possible to record vibrations from shutoff valves, as well as gas leak-generated vibrations. It was found that the loads applied to the pipe wall or surrounding soil induced pipe vibrations in the local region near the impact site (the signal effective distance is about 60 meters). A much stronger effect on the pipe wall was exerted by the jumps in pressure via the shut-off valves (the distance measurement of 2 km). The data obtained can be used to construct a structure diagram for the online monitoring system needed to control the deformation state of gas pipelines, to assess the sensitivity of sensors to various factors, and to verify the available mathematical models describing vibration processes in gas pipelines.