Design Considerations

for Buried Piping

A Bentley White Paper
Luke Andrew, P.E.
Product Manager, Bentley Systems

Jessica Alegre
Application Engineer, Bentley Systems

Published:
June 2018

www.bentley.com
Introduction
Buried pipelines typically use steel or stainless steel for transporting gas or LNG and
oil while non-metallic materials like FRP/GRP or HDPE are becoming more common for
low temperature, low pressure applications transporting water for potable use or fire
protection, but also for other hazardous chemical liquids or low pressure gases. As well
as appropriate choice of materials, there are other factors to consider when selecting a
software design package to complete a buried pipeline design safely, efficiently, and cost
effectively. Pipe stress analysis for buried piping is complicated, so use applications that
ensure what you design will safely operate for a long time. Secondly, use applications
that provide accurate analysis capabilities, while, at the same time, handle all range
of static and dynamic loads to deliver safe and economical designs. Thirdly, it is
important that the software minimizes convergence problems to achieve an accurate
solution for your buried pipeline. Lastly, look for applications with advanced soil
analysis capabilities like traffic loading, seismic wave propagation, and building or
soil settlement.

Nonlinear Analysis
Because soil inherently exhibits non-linear stiffness properties, which tend to change
with the amount of applied loads and displacement, the software you use should handle
the modeling and analysis of buried piping systems with nonlinear properties defined.
Nonlinear analysis provides a more accurate estimate of the response for systems,
which includes supports with gaps and friction, and nonlinear soil support stiffness.
This analysis is an iterative process that requires multiple passes to reduce the errors
associated with the initial estimates to an acceptable level. After each iteration, the
response matrix (or U matrix) is investigated for any effect on the stiffness matrix (or K
matrix). When the stiffness matrix is affected, a new stiffness matrix is formed and the
analysis repeated until a solution is obtained. Since each loading condition can affect the
system differently, a separate stiffness matrix might be required for each defined load
case. Engineers can provide an initial and a final soil stiffness value. The soil supporting
a buried pipe may provide nonlinear support, either softening or stiffening, as the load on
the soil increases.

Figure 1 – Soil springs are created

to simulate soil properties

Some software applications have separate properties defined for longitudinal soil
resistance, which represents longitudinal cohesion, transverse horizontal resistance,
and transverse vertical resistance. In the vertical direction, different properties may be
specified in an upward and downward direction to account for the differences in uplift
and downward bearing behavior.

Design Considerations for Buried Piping 2

Software with automatic soil stiffness calculators allow you to calculate the soil stiff-
ness values for their buried piping designs. Applications use specific information that
provides guidelines for calculations on obtaining the soil stiffness properties based on
typical soil properties like sand and clay in four directions. Popular calculation methods
for these soil spring calculations are provided by ASCE and PRCI. The exact value of
the soil stiffness is difficult to calculate because of the nature of the soil and how the
properties vary with seasons and changes, so it can be useful to calculate an upper,
lower, and average set of stiffness values.

Virtual Anchor Lengths

Another important design consideration that can challenge engineers are virtual anchor
lengths. These allow engineers to change the soil spring spacing around the bends
and tees or, as you move further away from the bends and tees, where the transverse
displacement is minimal. The soil spring spacing can then increase and anchor the
pipe. The virtual anchor length can be defined by selecting different pipe identifiers
or operating cases. Note that the soil stiffness values need to be generated before
the virtual anchor length is calculated, as those soil stiffness values are used in these
calculations. The calculated Lm, La, and Lb values are the maximum slippage length,
the virtual anchor length, and the length of Zone 1, respectively. The maximum slip-
page length defines the point where the thermal elongation forces become equal to the
longitudinal yield strength of the soil. Lm is determined by equating the length of the
pipe over which the yield strength of the soil must act to resist the thermal pipe load.
This maximum slippage length is calculated and then it is used to estimate the virtual
anchor length, La. This length can be estimated as 1.5 to 2.0 times the maximum slip-
page length Lm. It is the point where a buried length of pipe is long enough so that the
axial friction along the length prevents any load or displacement at one end from being
translated to the other end. It applies to a straight run with no branches, and piping at
this point does not need to be modeled beyond this length. Lb is the length of Zone 1
and is identified as the point where the lateral displacement first becomes zero. Zone
1 is the closest zone to the bend, or the change in direction, which is the area of high
bending effects that reduce the pipe’s major lateral displacements.

Figure 2 – Virtual Anchor Length definitions

Design Considerations for Buried Piping 3

Advanced Soil Loads
Other considerations for the design of buried piping are the soil loadings, which include
the soil weight above the pipe, the traffic loads, seismic wave propagation, and build-
ing settlement. These considerations have some new soil stress categories. The first
is circumferential wall bending stress that calculates the bending stress on a buried
pipe due to earth loads and any surface loads. The ring buckling pressure is then used
to calculate the pressure on top of the pipe due to earth and surcharge loads. Seismic
plus thermal stress can now be considered to calculate the stresses in the pipe due to
permanent temperature loads and occasional seismic loads. These occasional seis-
mic loads include seismic anchor movement and wave propagation load. Lastly is the
building settlement category, which calculates the stresses on the pipe due to building
settlement and, along with this, an improved soil model listing that provides buoyancy
force exerted on the pipe. These soil stresses can be seen in the B31.1 or the nuclear
piping code compliance reports.

Loads Above the Buried Piping

The earth loads component of the circumferential wall bending stress requires a
calculation based on the unit weight of the soil on top of the pipe, the height of the soil
on top of the pipe, and considers the height of the water on top of the pipe. Another
component to consider is the surface load. Typical surface loads include the H20 truck,
the Cooper E-80, and the airport loads. These give the values of the pressure on top of
the pipe due to the loads at different depths. There are three methods of calculations
for the circumferential bending stress with the first written by Timothy M. Adams and
published by ASME1, second by the AWWA2, and the third by the ASCE3. All are similar
except that the AWWA C150 subtracts the thickness of the pipe from the diameter and
the Adams method does not. The ASCE method, when it’s derived, is also very similar.
The Adams method is a proposed design procedure for buried safety related piping
at nuclear power facilities. The AWWA C150 is derived from the American National
Standard for Thickness Design of Ductile-Iron Pipe, where the ASCE 2001 is taken from
the Guidelines for the Design of Buried Steel Pipe.

Traffic Loading Soil Cover

Design Considerations for Buried Piping 4

Ring buckling pressure is the vertical pressure caused by the soil load plus the pressure
caused by the surface load. The limit of this applied pressure is based on ASCE 2001.
The ring buckling is the allowable safety factor, which is determined by ASCE depend-
ing on the depth of the burial. This is based on two factors: C, which is the burial depth,
and D, which is the pipe outside diameter. It is provided as 2.5 for C over D ratio being
greater than 2 and 3.0 for C over D ratio being less than or equal to 2.

Seismic Wave Propagation

Seismic plus thermal stress is the combined permanent temperature with the
occasional seismic anchor movement (SAM) plus wave propagation effects. Wave
propagation and SAM forces and moments are combined using the square root of the
sum of the squares. Certain applications can provide engineers the ability to efficiently
calculate the equivalent temperature rise due to wave propagation. The seismic data
required is part of the soil defined.

Building Settlement
For building settlement, the allowable criteria are based on Adams, and it is similar to
the criteria for ASME NC and ND. For buried piping, the Adams’ paper proposes that
the axial force should also be considered in this instance.

Nonmetallic Buried Piping

New to the buried piping design realm is the capability to analyze and design HDPE
plastic pipe to ASME N755 code case. Many organizations are looking to use more
HDPE piping systems for their excellent corrosion-resistant properties, as well as their
ability to withstand large displacements. High-density polyethylene piping can be used,
in accordance with Code Case N-755-1. Advanced software applications will contain
material libraries for HDPE and all the design calculations for this unique material.
This will also include the code combinations needed to meet the design requirements
of the code case.

Design Considerations for Buried Piping 5

Conclusion
Buried piping is here to stay, and to accurately model and design the piping for
the loads it will see is crucial for safe operation. Design considerations include
comprehensive static nonlinear analysis, a dynamic analysis with accurate modal
frequencies capture according to the mass of the piping system, accurate soil
properties defined with soil springs spaced at distances that will give correct results,
and wide ranging loading that includes loads acting above the pipe, seismic wave
propagation, and building or soil settlement. And, let’s not forget the amount of
nonmetallic piping that is growing in popularity throughout the world. Make sure your
design applications can handle the design complexities that come with nonmetallic
piping. Carefully picking an all-inclusive pipe analysis application that handles these
design considerations for buried piping will give you the confidence you need to ensure
a safe pipeline design.

1. [Adams et. al.] - A proposed design procedure for buried safety related piping at nuclear power facili-
ties, by Timothy M. Adams, George G. Thomas, and Ronald O. Knott, PVP-Vol. 360, Pressure Vessel
and Piping Codes and Standards - 1998, ASME 1998
2. [AWWA C150] - American National Standard for Thickness Design of Ductile-Iron Pipe, ANSI/AWWA
C150/A21.50-96
3. [ASCE 2001] - Guidelines for the Design of Buried Steel Pipe, American Lifelines Alliance, ASCE, July
2001, with 2005 addenda

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