Probabilistic analysis of underground pipelines subject to combined stresses and corrosion

This paper presents a nonlinear limit state model for the analysis of underground pipelines, stressed both in;he circumferential and the longitudinal directions. The effects of internal fluid pressure, external soil and traffic loads, temperature and longitudinal pipe bending etc., are considered, A nonlinear corrosion model is used to represent the loss of pipe wall thickness with time. To allow for the uncertainties of the design variables, a reliability analysis technique has been adopted; this also allows calculation of the relative contribution of the random variables and the sensitivity of the reliability index or failure probability, Results obtained for typical pipelines are presented. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.