Pipeline Project Research Articles

Challenges in Underground Utility Tunnel Construction and Strategies for Intelligent Management

With the rapid advancement of urbanization, the importance of municipal infrastructure construction is increasingly highlighted. The municipal underground pipeline project, as a key link, aims to optimize the living environment and improve the quality of life services for the people. Given the continuous growth of urban population and the increasingly scarce land resources, the municipal comprehensive underground pipeline project effectively alleviates the pressure on urban land resources by efficiently utilizing underground space. However, the construction of such projects involves complex construction technologies, and scientific and reasonable intelligent management methods are needed to ensure project quality and construction efficiency. In view of this, the author discusses the challenges faced in municipal underground pipeline construction and the intelligent management strategies through participation in the design and construction of several pipeline projects.

Buckling and Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Steel Pipes Jacked in Hard Rocks: A Case Study of a Water Pipeline Project in Zhongshan

Buckling and Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Steel Pipes Jacked in Hard Rocks: A Case Study of a Water Pipeline Project in Zhongshan

ECBD: European chemical biology database.

The European Chemical Biology Database (ECBD, https://ecbd.eu) serves as the central repository for data generated by the EU-OPENSCREEN research infrastructure consortium. It is developed according to FAIR principles, which emphasize findability, accessibility, interoperabilityand reusability of data. This data is made available to the scientific community following open access principles. The ECBD stores both positive and negative results from the entire chemical biology project pipeline, including data from primary or counter-screening assays. The assays utilize a defined and diverse library of over 107000 compounds, the annotations of which are continuously enriched by external user supported screening projects and by internal EU-OPENSCREEN bioprofiling efforts. These compounds were screened in 89 currently deposited datasets (assays), with 48 already being publicly accessible, while the remaining will be published after a publication embargo period of up to 3 years. Together these datasets encompass ∼4.3 million experimental data points. All public data within ECBD can be accessed through its user interface, API or by database dump under the CC-BY 4.0 license.

Reducing Carbon emissions through pipelines? Evidence from the West-East Gas Pipeline Project

ABSTRACT Transregional energy transmission can help balance resource allocation and serve long-term regional interests. The West–East Gas Pipeline Project (WEGPP), which is the longest natural gas pipeline in China, aims to address the serious imbalance between natural gas supply and demand in China’s eastern and western regions. Few studies have considered WEGPP’s effect on carbon emissions in terms of energy transmission. Using data for prefecture-level cities from 2000 to 2019, we consider WEGPP as a quasi-natural experiment and adopt a staggered difference-in-differences model to investigate the causal effect of energy transmission on carbon emissions. We find that WEGPP can reduce carbon emissions; various robustness tests confirm the reliability of the results. However, the emission-reduction effect is heterogeneous owing to factors such as operation batch, location, administrative level, population size, resource endowment, industrial level, and whether a city belongs to an old industrial base. We also reveal three important channels for WEGPP’s emission-reduction effect: environmental concern of the government, industrial agglomeration, and green technological innovation. This study provides a reference for assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of energy transmission in the context of emission reduction.

Synchronization Optimization of Pipeline Layout and Pipe Diameter Selection in a Drip Irrigation Network System Based on the Jaya Algorithm

To address the complexity and high computational burden in the design of drip irrigation networks, the Jaya algorithm is utilized to study factors affecting project costs, including equipment and pipeline depreciation and the operation and management costs of the irrigation area. A mathematical model of synchronization optimal design of pipe layout and pipe diameter selection in a drip irrigation network system with constraints on pipe diameter, flow velocity, and pipe pressure is established. Using an irrigation district in Xinjiang, China, as an example, the Jaya algorithm optimization design program was run independently 50 times, and the relative deviation of each optimization result from the optimal solution was calculated. The results show that the annual cost per unit area o is reduced to 635.99 RMB/hm2, a 25.34% reduction compared to the original engineering program, and the investment-saving effect is obvious. The relative deviation is controlled within 3%, which shows that the algorithm has stable convergence performance and can meet the requirements of actual engineering design. The Jaya algorithm eliminates the need for parameter tuning, and it excels in cost savings, algorithm stability, and computational accuracy, making it an effective method for the single-objective optimization design of drip irrigation networks.

Simulation study on submarine trench gravel dumping under the influence of hydrodynamics

Abstract Gravel drift under the hydrodynamic effect is a significant problem during gravel dumping operations in coastal areas, which has a great impact on construction efficiency. Based on the Zhangpu submarine pipeline project, this paper investigated the drift distance and underwater distribution characteristics of gravel during the process of submarine trench gravel dumping under the influence of hydrodynamics by using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The results show that the greater the water depth and current speed is, the farther the drift distance of gravel along the current direction is. The water current has the most significant effect on the underwater distribution of gravel. The larger the current velocity is, the larger the underwater distribution width of gravel after sinking to the bottom is, and the larger the loss rate of gravel which has not been thrown to the required range is. The construction work should be avoided under high current speed conditions when carrying out gravel dumping.

Mechanisms of International Legal Regulation of Transboundary Pipeline Projects in the Caspian Region

Mechanisms of International Legal Regulation of Transboundary Pipeline Projects in the Caspian Region

Mechanisms of International Legal Regulation of Transboundary Pipeline Projects in the Caspian Region

Mechanisms of International Legal Regulation of Transboundary Pipeline Projects in the Caspian Region

Pipeline Projects: Matters Arising in the New Zealand Construction Industry

Pipeline Projects: Matters Arising in the New Zealand Construction Industry

Response of semicircular canyons and movable cylindrical cavities to SH waves in anisotropic half-space geology

The development of tunnels or the laying of underground pipelines are essential engineering projects in modern society, and in canyon tunnels and underground pipeline projects, the surface motion and cavity edge motion have been topics of concern in ground vibration problems. We investigate the wave scattering problem in an elastic half-space anisotropic medium containing a semicircular canyon and a subsurface movable cylindrical cavity by using the wave function expansion method, the complex function method, and the mirror method. By deriving the governing equation and transforming it into the standard form of the Helmholtz equation satisfying the zero-stress boundary condition, we solve the corresponding displacement functions. Introducing a position correction coefficient, the scattered wavefield in a half-space anisotropic medium is constructed by the mirror method, which improves the problem of scattered wave source singularity in anisotropic half-space media. Then, combining the free boundary conditions with a Fourier series expansion method, we solve the unknown coefficients in the equations. The correctness of the method is verified by degenerating it to a classical analytic solution. Finally, using frequency- and time-domain analysis, we investigate the effects of the relevant parameters on the surface motion [Formula: see text], the dynamic stress concentration factor, and the displacement amplitude [Formula: see text]. The results indicate that rock anisotropy and the presence of semicircular canyons have a significant effect on the dynamic response of subsurface structures. This not only provides a theoretical basis for practical unlined tunnels or pipeline projects but also can provide a basis for seismic design of underground structures.

Enhancing Sewage Pipeline Project Cost Estimations in Iraq through Artificial Neural Network Models

Enhancing Sewage Pipeline Project Cost Estimations in Iraq through Artificial Neural Network Models

Opportunities and Challenges of China’s Economic and Political Development Under the Third Terms of Xi Leadership: A “No Limits” Partnership Between China and Russia?

With the Russia-Ukraine War continuing indefinitely, the relationship between China and Russia has changed from the close ties observed during the initial stages of the fight under Xi’s third term as leader. In 2023, Qin Gang, who was China’s ambassador to the US at the time, emphasized that the China-Russia cooperation is boundless but does have certain limits. This statement contrasts with the more assertive position taken by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi shortly after the war started in March 2022, when he described the relationship as “rock-solid” during the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress. In May 2023, China officially announced the postponement of the “Power of Siberia 2” pipeline project. Will the conflict between Russia and Ukraine result in tighter ties between China and Russia, or will it create a greater distance between them? Alternatively, will their relationship remain unchanged? Are there any constraints on the China-Russia strategic partnership? Will the level of asymmetry in the ties between Moscow and Beijing increase or decrease in the future? China’s relationship with Russia has seen minor adjustments since the start of Xi’s third term. This study aims to investigate the underlying causes of these developments and assess the prospects and challenges of the political and economic connections between China and Russia during Xi’s third term.

EVALUASI RISIKO KESELAMATAN DAN KESEHATAN KERJA PADA PROYEK INSTALASI PIPANISASI DI PT EFE BERBASIS METODE JSA DAN HIRARC

Work accidents occur in the work environment, which can occur due to unsafe work environment conditions or human error. PT TKA is a construction services company located in the Gresik Regency, and its work specifications use fiberglass and HDPE materials. In the work activities carried out by PT TKA, several unsafe actions or unsafe conditions were found which caused accidents. This research aims to evaluate the dangers and causes of danger based on the conditions and activities of pipe installation projects based on the risk of unsafe actions and conditions. Job Safety Analysis, Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Risk Control were used as research methods. The research respondents were five expert employees on pipeline projects. The research showed that eleven stages of pipe installation project work were identified, resulting in small, medium, and large-scale hazard risks. The research results show that unsafe conditions dominate the occurrence of danger and the risk of work accidents.

Optimizing Concession Agreement Terms and Conditions: Stakeholder Interest Alignment in the Petrochemical Sector

This article is devoted to the examination of models and the selection of optimal parameters for concession agreements pertaining to construction and operation projects within the pipeline infrastructure of the petrochemical sector. Pipelines are underscored as capital-intensive assets crucial for the organization of complex petrochemical production processes. These processes play a vital role in generating added value, tax revenue, employment opportunities, and fostering territorial development while upholding environmental quality standards. This study aims to ascertain the economic parameters of concession agreements, with a focus on achieving a balance of economic interests between the government and businesses. Through a comparative analysis of fundamental economic and mathematical models of concession agreements, the authors model economic parameters to determine the government’s share in investments and concession fees concerning pipeline projects. Subsequently, an oil product pipeline project is discussed as a case study. The results gleaned from this analysis can be harnessed to optimize the parameters of concession agreements and enhance the economic efficiency of project implementation. Economically viable parameters not only facilitate the execution of concession agreements but also foster the generation of added value, social benefits, and environmental oversight, thus aligning with the principles of sustainable development.

Understanding Cooperation in Russian–Turkish Energy Relations

Abstract This article conceptualises one of the most important factors shaping the Russian–Turkish multidimensional partnership—the dynamics around energy. It seeks to answer the question: “To what extent does energy ensure cooperation in Russian–Turkish relations, despite current tensions?” The author argues that even though the two countries have had disagreements over each other’s involvement in certain energy projects, their shared interests in energy have been strengthened by their interdependence and have led to a greater convergence, which in turn allows for cooperation. As a result, the energy sector serves as a mitigating factor in bilateral relations. The author focuses on Russian and non-Russian natural gas pipeline projects, using the interdependence theory as a theoretical framework.

Failure assessment of corroded offshore pipelines using code-based approaches and a combination of numerical analysis and artificial neural network

The main purpose of the present paper is to investigate the failure pressure and the remaining life of the corroded offshore pipelines utilizing code-based methods such as ASME B31G, modified ASME B31G, DNV RP-F101 and FFS Level-1. Besides, the results of these approaches are compared with the responses of Finite Element Method (FEM) using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. To this purpose, the probability distribution of the corrosion defect length and depth as well as the corrosion rate values are obtained from an In-Line Inspection (ILI) survey of an offshore pipeline project in the Persian Gulf. In addition, a 3D verified numerical model of a corroded pipeline is constructed to conduct the numerical analyses. Using the numerical analysis data, a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) model is created to estimate the failure pressure of the pipeline with arbitrary defect dimensions. Moreover, the remaining life of the corroded pipeline is quantified in order to prevent the catastrophic consequences of the pipeline failure. The results show that the MLP model is capable of estimating the failure pressure of the corroded offshore pipeline with quite acceptable accuracy compared with the mentioned code-based methods. Furthermore, the calculated failure pressure of the corroded pipeline can be sorted in ascending order as: (1) FFS-Level 1 (2) ASME modified B31G (3 & 4) ASME B31G & DNV RP-F101 (5) FEM + MLP. In fact, the failure pressure and the remaining life calculated by DNV RP-F101 are closer to the FEM + MLP results for the defects with small and medium dimensions. Diversely, the DNV RP-F101 method underestimates the failure pressure of the corroded pipeline when the defect dimensions become larger.

Navigating institutional demands: Organizational responses to institutional complexity in megaproject delivery

Megaprojects are commonly exposed to multiple, conflicting institutional demands, making them notoriously difficult to manage. Drawing on organizational institutional theory, the paper explores organizational responses to deal with institutional complexity on a transnational pipeline project spanning China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The findings show how conflicting institutional demands across the involved countries were dealt with through the establishment of distinct organizational strategies and structures when a large Chinese petroleum organization entered into two separate project companies, each responsible for a section of the pipeline. One relied on a manipulation strategy where institutional complexity was reconciled by selectively coupling to certain institutional demands. The other handled competing demands through a compromise strategy involving the creation of a compartmentalized organizational structure. While these results confirm findings from prior work that the nature and internal representation of demands exerted on an organization shape its response strategy, we contribute further by showing how distinct contextual characteristics of megaprojects influence the specific responses adopted to deal with institutional complexity.

Enhancing sustainability considerations in construction industry projects

AbstractIn today’s society, the construction sector significantly influences all three aspects of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. Industry and academia have recognized sustainability in construction projects as a key concern. The New Zealand government also focuses on providing a sustainable construction sector centred on high performance, high productivity, enhanced innovation, and improving community well-being through a better-built environment. Project management and sustainability are two distinct areas of research. Previous empirical research on the effectiveness of construction project implementation lacked sustainability success components. This research aims to provide criteria for project sustainability success for future performance on construction projects. Based on the existing literature, many economic, environmental, and social sustainability indicators were compiled for consideration at various pipeline project life cycle phases. The information gathered from the Scopus database was analyzed using ATLAS.ti 9 software to create project sustainability success criteria. Pipeline construction projects and sustainability must focus on environmental challenges while managing economic and social advantages. The research investigated sustainable construction adoption, revealing weak awareness among organizations due to limited understanding among key actors like clients, regulatory bodies, and construction organizations. Lack of effective application of sustainability guidelines, inadequate legislation, and building codes were significant hurdles in implementing sustainable practices in the construction sector. The study highlights essential issues to promote sustainable practices in the industry. The study findings suggest that organizations and individual factors are strong predictors for achieving sustainable construction and are vital antecedents leading to greater sustainability adoption. Finally, the study points to construction project managers’ knowledge of how to set up criteria connected to sustainability and how it could affect the outcome of their projects.

Expression of regional brain amyloid-β deposition with [18F]Flutemetamol in Centiloid scale -a multi-site study.

The Centiloid project helps calibrate the quantitative amyloid-β (Aβ) load into a unified Centiloid (CL) scale that allows data comparison across multi-site. How the smaller regional amyloid converted into CL has not been attempted. We first aimed to express regional Aβ deposition in CL using [18F]Flutemetamol and evaluate regional Aβ deposition in CL with that in standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr). Second, we aimed to determine the presence or absence of focal Aβ deposition by measuring regional CL in equivocal cases showing negative global CL. Following the Centiloid project pipeline, Level-1 replication, Level-2 calibration, and quality control were completed to generate corresponding Centiloid conversion equations to convert SUVr into Centiloid at regional levels. In equivocal cases, the regional CL was compared with visual inspection to evaluate regional Aβ positivity. 14 out of 16 regional conversions from [18F]Flutemetamol SUVr to Centiloid successfully passed the quality control, showing good reliability and relative variance, especially precuneus/posterior cingulate and prefrontal regions with good stability for Centiloid scaling. The absence of focal Aβ deposition could be detected by measuring regional CL, showing a high agreement rate with visual inspection. The regional Aβ positivity in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex was most prevalent in equivocal cases. The expression of regional brain Aβ deposition in CL with [18F]Flutemetamol has been attempted in this study. Equivocal cases had focal Aβ deposition that can be detected by measuring regional CL.

Logistical turbulence: Between valorization and violence along the China–Myanmar Economic Corridor

A pivotal Belt and Road project, the China–Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) includes port, pipeline, economic zone, and transport projects that cut across Myanmar to southern China. Along this corridor, severe episodes of violence have shadowed the CMEC: communal violence, insurgencies, and counter-insurgencies, including atrocities against Rohingya Muslims. This article considers the relation—direct and indirect—between the logistical infrastructure projects of the CMEC, dedicated to capitalist valorization, and the episodes of violence that have occurred in their vicinity. Revisiting critical logistics scholarship, I suggest that the turbulence of logistical worlds does not necessarily reflect an internal logic of capital. Drawing on a form-analysis view of the state, rather, I show how the CMEC requires a conjunctural grasp of logistical worlds whose turbulence can stem from multiple determinations, including state-backed, extraeconomic force. Emphasizing the ties between the CMEC and Myanmar military operations, I argue that logistical infrastructures in Myanmar are dual in form. They are incorporative and connective, fuelled by fantasies of boundless growth and endless valorisation. Yet they are also “anti-relational,” forging not only connections but disconnections along spatial, gendered, and racialized ethnic divides. These racialized processes of dispossession and immiseration present violent limits to logistical imaginaries of connective relation.