Finite Element Structural Analysis of Buried Pipelines

Abstract

This document uses previous results (which we call the first stage), for the development of a computer model based on finite elements under the FEAP programmer, to carry out a structural analysis of a pipeline. For this purpose, we used environmental variables that we believe influence the failure of buried pipelines such as the internal pressure of fluid, the type of support used, the temperature at which the pipelines work, the type of soil and the stiffness of the soil acting on it. Once the model was finalized, analyses were made with each of the variables separately and combined to observe the behavior of the pipeline, finding the most unfavorable case that indicates the main causes that led to its failure.