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5. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
The experimental program consisted of two components. The first was
laboratory terting of pipe sections in order to determine their stiffness
(stiffness factor = EI), vertical deflection or strain, which induces cracking in
the inner pipe liner and collapse loads. The second was a field investigation
which included opening of test pits at several sections along the pipeline.
Excavation of the lest pits allowed for visual description of the soil-trench
cross section, and performance of dynamic cone penetration (DCP) tests
within the sand backfill alongside the pipe, The field investigation was limlted
to a 330 m pipeline segment.
5. l. results of tests on pipe sections
Ring compression (bending) tests were carried out on three sections of pipe.
Each section was placed in a hydraulic press and loaded across its vertical
diameter by a line load along the full segment length. Throughout loading of
each test section, vertical and horizontal deflections were monitored. Visual
physical damage to the inner pipe lining (cracking) was also recorded. Figure
3(a) presents the experimental load deforrnation curve of one of the pipe
sections togethcr with observations with respect to crack development
throughout the test. Figure 3(b) shows that the results for the three sections
are fairly similar,
Based on the data presented in Fig, 3 it ir possible to obtain the following
information:
(l) The collapse load of the pipe section is between 50 and 55 kN/m. Collapse
occurred at vertical deflections of 63-87 mm which correspond to
diametrical strains of 5-7%. it is noted that these values characterize the
unsupported behavior of pipe sections.
(2)The maximum moment acting in the pipe section at the collapse load may
be dotermined by eqn (l), after Timoshenko and Gere (1). For the pipes
tested the maximum moments at collapse varied between 5.6-6.0 kN m/m,
where P is the collapse load per unit length as noted above, and R is the
pipe radius.
(3)The stiffness factor of the pipe (EI) can be determined based on the linear
section of the force deflection curve using eqn (2) fl].
where is the vertical pipe deflection under load per unit length P.
The calculated stiffness of the three pipe sections was found to be
approximately 13,5 kN m. It is noted that the EI is an inherent property of
the pipe section which is independent of lateral support conditions. This
experimentally determined pipe stiffrness is representative of the
composite pipe cross section which includes both concrete layers and the
steel core.
(4)Severe cracking of the inner liner wall (defined as a crack opening of 0.3
mm (2) occurred at a vertical diametric strain of approximately l,2%. The
working assumption used throughout the investigation has been that
cracking occurs at the same strain value irrespective of the support
conditions. Obviously the load required to impose this strain level is
dependent upon lateral support conditions.
5.2. Results of field investigation
Dynamic cone penetration testing was performed at several stations along
tho investigated portion of the pipeline. Technical details of the testing
procedure and interpretation of results may bc found in (3). The testing was
performed following excavation of the fill material down to the prpe crown.
Two or three DCP soundings were performed within each excavation to a

depth of approximately 1,6-l.8 m. The end point of the sounding was located
at a depth of approximately 0,5 m below ths pipe invert. The plots shown in
Fig. 4 are typical results found at six stations. It is notrd that, in