Experimental apparatus for simulating axial restraint in buried pipes under traffic loading in centrifuge tests
Experimental apparatus for simulating axial restraint in buried pipes under traffic loading in centrifuge tests
This study presents an experimental apparatus for simulating axial restraint in buried High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe systems subjected to surface traffic loading within a centrifuge environment. In UK water networks, internal pressures typically range from 27 bar; instead of replicating full internal pressurisation, the apparatus applies controlled axial restraint representing the mechanical effects of such pressures under fixed boundaries. This enables investigation of pipe behaviour governed by Poisson effects and structural constraints, supported by analytical estimations of axial and hoop stresses. The apparatus was used to examine cyclic loading on HDPE pipes under restraint levels corresponding to service pressures of 1.5, 2.5, and 5 bar. Results show that increasing axial restraint substantially reduces bending moments and pipe deflection, especially in early cycles. These findings highlight the importance of axial boundary conditions and the usefulness of this approach for centrifuge studies on buried pipeline performance under repeated surface loading.
Tawfeg Elmrom; Elisabeth Bowman
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 3: Resilient geotechnical infrastructure
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-108