Field study of attenuation of stresses on buried pipes using geogrid

• Grant number: 15/04540-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Geotechnical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Henrique Martins Portelinha
• Grantee: Victor Augusto Nerillo da Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The pioneer's studies involving technical solutions for reduction of stresses on buried pipeswere conducted in the 20ths of the last century. However, past 100 years from the first scientific studies, buried pipes have not been properly designed in Brazil,in view of the essentials geotechnical and mechanical aspects that should have been considered in the analysis. In addition, there are different techniques of attenuation of stresses on buried pipes that results in optimization and cost savings of designs. In 2003, Viana e Bueno reported the technique "Geovala" (in English, Geotrench) as an innovative solution to reduce design and construction costs of buried pipes. This method consists in the use of a geosynthetic bridge between the empty trench, in which the pipe will be installed, and the backfill soil. The geosynthetic works as attenuator of stresses on the surrounding area of the pipe by triggering the soil arching. Although the Geotrench has been shown efficient and innovative, studies has been done by laboratory and small-scale tests. This project proposes a field study of attenuation of stresses on buried pipes using geogrid in order to provide the understanding of mechanisms. This study will be conductedby monitoring the distribution of stresses along the geogrid and inside the compacted trench and the surrounding natural soil.