Behavior of Coupling Band Joints in Buried Corrugated Steel Pipelines

Proper design of joints in buried gravity flow pipelines should account for the demands generated in these elements when the system is subjected to surface loading. However, the behavior of joints under these loading conditions has received scant attention despite the fact that joint failure could cause the system to reach serviceability or strength limits because of leakage and soil erosion. The purpose of this study is to examine the response of band joints in corrugated steel pipes when subjected to surface vehicle loading and to examine the influence of burial quality, burial depth, and loading location on the joint response. To achieve this, large-scale laboratory testing of two 900-mm-diameter corrugated steel pipelines was performed, subjecting the specimens to the maximum service load (multiple configurations) and to the fully factored load (one configuration) while monitoring their response. The data obtained permit the key structural demands generated at the joint during surface loading to be identified and an observation of the failure mode. Recommendations are also made regarding the development of soil-pipe interaction analysis for use in structural design.