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Seismic design-10 miles length oil pipeline (mult. support exitation)

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Vfigueroa

Structural
Aug 2, 2005
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Hi:
We are in the process of analyzing a proposed fuel line to transport Bunker C and Diesel fuel from a dock to an existing tank facility. Both pipes (20 and 24") runs along the side way of an existing main road and they will have a series of overpass to overcome some creeks at the area. Approximately 80 percent of the pipeline will be located above ground from 3 to 6 feet in height and the other 20% will be buried around 48" below finish grade. This pipeline will be located on a seismic Zone 3 and no active fault has been detected at the area after a preliminary seismic hazard analysis.

For this amount of pipe length, we are wondering if under a seismic event we have to consider a different approach as we normally proceed with a building or any other structure that has to comply with the regulatory design codes. We are still designing under the UBC 97 and the question is as follows:

1) What decides if a special seismic analysis is required for this application:
* Pipeline length,
* Pipeline geometry and/or geography location,
* API or any other Code Regulation,
* Nature and/or location of supports

2) Is it strictly necessary to perform a multiple support excitation analysis?

3) How does any of these analysis could affect the stress analysis that is normally performed to this type of pipeline?
 
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