Traffic load on a pipeline

[B.L.Smith]

Dear friends,

I've search and read several handbooks about calculation of traffic load on a buried uncased pipeline at crossing of the pipeline and the road or highway, but none of them include calculation for a crossing which there are bearing slabs between the road surface and the pipeline. How can I calculate the traffic load on the pipeline in this case?

 

[pennpiper]

Where is this crossing (USA, other)?
If USA - Check out the DOT website

Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results

 

[BigInch]

Why would you actually go to the trouble and expense of placing a slab to protect the pipeline, if the slab was not to carry full traffic load.

 

[LittleInch]

Are you using API RP 1102?

If not why not?

My take on slabs is that unless they are actually designed like bridges, i.e. have true bearing columns which extend to a level under the pipeline, they don't do anything for the load experienced by the pipe.

In practice if the slab is fitted on undisturbed ground either side of the pipe trench, then clearly it will take some of the compressive load, but the difficulty is knowing how much. For that reason I would simply ignore the slab in your calculations to 1102.

Post a drawing or decent sketch to show what you mean and then it might be a bit clearer.


Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[BigInch]

With a slab, you don't need API 1102. There's no load on the pipe.

 

[LittleInch]

Yes there is still compressive load. You don't need 1102 IF the slab is truly load bearing and there is no transmission of forces onto the pipe, but without some sort of dimensioned sketch, that is not an easy thing to say.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.