Geogrid for existing buried pipeline crossings

TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT crossings of existing buried pipelines are often installed when a new infrastructure is built. The basic idea behind this study is to use a geogrid in order to reduce the stresses on the buried pipeline caused by the extra loads, such as construction equipment, extra pipe cover, vehicular traffic, etc. Although the existing pipeline has generally not been specifically designed for these additional working loads, structural and serviceability calculations on the existing pipeline are required in order to check its integrity and the suitability of the proposed crossing method.An analytical model is proposed and some numerical analyses are presented in order to study different geogrid and trench configurations, and a full-scale test has been performed with the aim of checking the theoretical results. The preliminary results of the study, performed in Italy by Saipem SpA as part of the R&D activities of the Onshore Pipeline Engineering Department, can be considered of interest to researchers and engineers working in pipeline engineering and construction.