Seismic hazard analysis of buried pipelines

Buried pipelines are critical infrastructure components that transport essential resources such as water, gas, and oil. Seismic hazard analysis is an assessment of the risks of earthquake-induced damage to these pipelines, which can have significant economic, environmental, and social impacts.

TÜV SÜD provides customer- and project-specific solutions covering the whole range from seismic hazard analysis to seismic design of buried pipelines.

Assessing the seismic risk of buried pipelines is crucial to ensure continued service during and after an earthquake, to protect the environment from leaks, and to avoid costly repairs or disruptions. Earthquake damage can lead to costly repairs, extended service interruptions, and environmental hazards.

Ensuring that pipelines are designed to withstand seismic events is critical for reducing these potential losses. Past earthquakes, such as the Kobe earthquake of 1995, have demonstrated the severe consequences of inadequate seismic assessment and design for pipeline systems.

By understanding soil-pipeline interaction and conducting in-depth seismic analysis, operators can mitigate risks, protect investments, and ensure compliance with safety standards. Soil-pipeline interactions can be complex, posing unique challenges such as displacement caused by wave propagation, fault rupture, and soil liquefaction. These require specialised analysis to understand and predict behaviour.

Regulatory compliance is yet another reason why comprehensive seismic risk analysis is important. Adhering to national and international safety standards requires holistic assessments and sophisticated calculations to verify seismic resilience.

TÜV SÜD offers global expertise in the form of experts with knowledge across numerous international markets, ensuring compliance with local regulations and best practices.

Our experience with national and international safety standards helps you meet regulatory compliance requirements for seismic resilience, protecting your investments.

We offer comprehensive services covering the entire lifecycle – from seismic risk analysis to seismic design calculations – ensuring a seamless approach to pipeline safety.

Our services for pipeline safety include:

• Site-specific seismic hazard analysis – We calculate seismic loads for requested earthquake recurrence periods to assess displacement impact on the pipeline, considering local and regional conditions.
• Seismic impact on buried pipelines – For buried pipeline systems, we assess soil displacement due to wave propagation differences and fault displacement. We compute hazard consistent displacement time histories for design. By using nonlinear 3D finite element models for detailed seismic impact analysis, we provide a precise understanding of how buried pipelines interact with soil during earthquakes.
• Seismic design calculations – For the verification of the pipeline, we perform nonlinear time history calculations and observe normative strain criteria.
• Soil stability – We assess slope stability, soil liquefaction potential, and seismic compaction.