Abstract
In this paper, a single-slope tunnel pipeline was analysed considering the effects of vertical earth pressure, horizontal soil pressure, inner pressure, thermal expansion force and pipeline—soil friction. The concept of stagnation point for the pipeline was proposed. Considering the deformation compatibility condition of the pipeline elbow, the push force of anchor blocks of a single-slope tunnel pipeline was derived based on an energy method. Then, the theoretical formula for this force is thus generated. Using the analytical equation, the push force of the anchor block of an X80 large-diameter pipeline from the West—East Gas Transmission Project was determined. Meanwhile, to verify the results of the analytical method, and the finite element method, four categories of finite element codes were introduced to calculate the push force, including CAESARII, ANSYS, AutoPIPE and ALGOR. The results show that the analytical results agree well with the numerical results, and the maximum relative error is only 4.1%. Therefore, the results obtained with the analytical method can satisfy engineering requirements.
Highlights
In China, West-East gas pipeline system project was constructed to relieve the energy market of eastern cities, having one trunk line with an outside diameter of 1219 mm
To prevent damage to the tunnel or the pipeline elbow, an anchor block is set in the straight pipeline near the pipeline elbow to limit the thermal expansion displacement of the pipeline [1,2,3]
If both ends of each straight pipeline did not be constricted by the anchor block, the axial elongation induced by thermal expansion can be observed at both ends of the pipeline
Summary
In China, West-East gas pipeline system project was constructed to relieve the energy market of eastern cities, having one trunk line with an outside diameter of 1219 mm. To prevent damage to the tunnel or the pipeline elbow, an anchor block is set in the straight pipeline near the pipeline elbow to limit the thermal expansion displacement of the pipeline [1,2,3]. The virtual work principle is introduced to derive the analytic model for the anchor push force of a single-slope tunnel pipeline, induced by thermal expansion displacement. In this analysis, the statically indeterminate mechanics model of the bend was established, and the condition of deformation compatibility and the hypothesis of stagnation point were used. The analytical calculation results are compared with the results obtained with finite element software to verify the accuracy of the formula
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