THE VALIDITY OF RING COMPRESSION THEORY IN THE DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE BURIED PIPES

The report covers work carried out in the Cambridge University Engineering Department under a Transport and Road Research Laboratory sponsored research contract to study the behaviour of buried pipes. The work consists of a series of experiments conducted on model flexible pipes embedded in uniform dense sand, to examine the validity of ring compression theory and the load reductions which take place due to arching. Conventional laboratory floor tests with surface overpressure as well as centrifuge tests to simulate gravity loading have been carried out to study the influence of a range of boundary conditions. The ring compression theory is shown to be valid in the cases of model pipes placed in wide trenches or under embankments, while for pipes placed in narrow vertical or battered trenches relatively large bending moments are developed and the line of thrust may lie outside the wall thickness. The results from the tests are also presented in terms of arching factors for different trench geometries and these are compared with the assumptions of present design practice.(a) /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)

  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Valsangkar, A J
  • BRITTO, A M
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 40 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Centrifugal force; Centrifuges; Compression; Compression tests; Deflection; Design; Flexibility; Gravity; Laboratory tests; Loads; Pipe; Sand; Simulation; Stiffness; Tests; Theory; Trenches; Tubing; Underground structures; Validity; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Subterranean; Trench
• Old TRIS Terms: Flexible tubing; Ring compression and flexibility factor
• ITRD Terms: 5404: Centrifugal force; 5532: Compression; 5586: Deflection; 9011: Design (overall design); 5702: Excavation pit; 5419: Gravity; 5567: Load; 3361: Pipe; 4105: Sand; 5931: Stiffness; 4372: Subterranean; 6255: Test; 6479: Width
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; I51: Earthworks and Soil Drainage;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00195150
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: Supple Report SR440 Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 15 1979 12:00AM