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Fault Crossing

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abdullah najjar
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4 views

Fault Crossing

Uploaded by

abdullah najjar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Guidelines for Seismic Design of Buried Pipelines

PROVISIONS COMMENTARY

6 – Design Criteria for C-6 –


Fault Crossing A fault is a crack or zone of crack between two
blocks of rock. Faults allow the blocks to move
Fault movement is the phenomenon related to relative to each other. This movement may be due
the offset or tearing of the ground surface by to sudden displacement or may be due to gradual
differential movement across the fault line. accumulation. The sudden fault movement is
The following criteria may be followed to mostly associated with the seismic event. Whereas,
design the pipeline crossing a fault of the gradual displacement is mainly associated with
expected ground movement. the plate movement.
Faults may be classified according to the direction
of motion as normal slip, strike slip, or reverse slip
faults. The normal, strike, and reverse slip faults
are formed due to tensile, shear, and compressive
stresses respectively. Often the normal or reverse
fault occurs in combination with the strike slip
fault. This kind of faulting is referred to as oblique
fault. This is formed due to the combination of
stresses acting both vertically and horizontally.
The magnitude of fault displacement depends
primarily on the type of fault, size of earthquake,
focal depth and the geology.
For buried structures, for example pipelines, get
severe damage due to fault displacement. The
following recommendations may be followed to
reduce the risk of pipeline crossing a fault.
i) The pipeline crossing fault line should be
oriented in such a way to avoid
compression in the pipeline. The optimum
angle of fault-crossings will depend on
the dip of the fault plane and the expected
type of movement.

ii) The ductility of pipeline should be


increased in the zone of fault-crossing to
accommodate the fault movement without
rupture.

iii) Abrupt changes in wall thickness or other


stress concentrators should be avoided
within the fault zone.

iv) In all areas of potential ground rupture,


pipelines should be laid in relatively
straight section avoiding sharp changes in
direction and elevation.

v) To the extent possible, pipelines should


be constructed without field bends,
elbows, and flanges that tend to anchor
the pipeline to the ground.

vi) If longer length of pipeline is available to


conform to fault movement, level of strain

Page 47

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