Review of the state of the art: interactions between a buried pipeline and frozen soil

Abstract

The buckling behaviour of a buried pipeline caused by frost heave and thaw settlement is the main reason for deformation of the onshore pipelines in cold regions. The interaction between the buried pipeline and frozen soil can be a dynamic and complex interaction process. The physical mechanism of the interaction processes for the design of onshore pipelines in cold regions is of great importance. With the construction of the Trans-Alaska (Alyeska) Pipeline System (TAPS), Norman Wells Oil Pipeline (NWOP), Golmud-Lhasa Oil Pipeline (GLOP) and China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline (CRCOP), the deformation behaviours of buried pipelines and the mechanical behaviours of frozen soils have been investigated, and numerous research results have been obtained. This paper summarizes the developments of the buried pipelines and analyses the technical developments regarding the design, construction and operation of buried pipelines in cold regions. This summary will facilitate the convenient application of pipelines in cold regions, and there is significant room for improvement and new research to improve the pipe-soil interactions in cold regions.