Determination of Blast Vibration Safety Criteria for Buried Polyethylene Pipelines Adjacent to Blast Areas, Using Vibration Velocity and Strain Data

Abstract

In order to ensure the safe operation of buried polyethylene pipelines adjacent to blasting excavations, controlling the effects of blasting vibration loads on the pipelines is a key concern. Model tests on buried polyethylene pipelines under blasting loads were designed and implemented, the vibration velocity and dynamic strain response of the pipelines were obtained using a TC-4850 blast vibrometer and a UT-3408 dynamic strain tester, and the distribution characteristics of blast vibration velocity and dynamic strain were analyzed based on the experimental data. The results show that the blast load has the greatest effect on the circumferential strain of the polyethylene pipe, and the dynamic strain response is greatest at the section of the pipe nearest to the blast source. Pipe peak vibration velocity (PPVV), ground peak particle velocity (GPPV), and the peak dynamic strain of the pipe were highly positively correlated, which verifies the feasibility of using GPPV to characterize pipeline vibration and strain level. According to the failure criteria and relevant codes, combined with the analysis of experimental results, the safety threshold of additional circumferential stress on the pipeline is 1.52 MPa, and the safety control vibration speed of the ground surface is 21.6 cm/s.

Keywords

• polyethylene pipes
• blast vibration sensors
• model tests
• safe vibration velocity criteria