Soil Spring Representation

Guidelines for the Design of Buried Steel Pipe
Appendix B: Soil Spring Representation

Soil loading on the pipeline is represented by discrete nonlinear springs (e.g., elastic-plastic,
multi-linear) as illustrated in Figure B.1. The maximum soil spring forces and associated relative
displacements necessary to develop these forces are computed using the equations given in the
following sections.
Soil properties representative of the backfill should be used to compute axial soil spring forces.
Other soil spring forces should generally be based on the native soil properties. Backfill soil
properties are appropriate for computing horizontal and upward vertical soil spring forces only
when it can be demonstrated that the extent of pipeline movement relative to the surrounding
backfill soil is not influenced by the soils outside the pipe trench.
Although tests have indicated that the maximum soil force on the pipeline decreases at large
relative displacements, these guidelines are based on the assumption that the soil force is
constant once it reaches the maximum value. The dimension for the maximum soil spring force
is force per unit length of pipeline. The equations in this Appendix are based on buried pipelines
in uniform soil conditions.
For deeply buried pipelines with variable soil properties between the ground surface and the
pipeline depth, the equations in this Appendix may not be representative of true soil loading
conditions. Guidance on how to proceed with variable soil conditions is provided in the
Commentary section.
Horizontal soil loads of offshore pipelines resting on the sea floor increase more gradually with
displacement due to the formation of a soil mound in front of the pipeline. Determination of the
soil spring characteristics for this condition requires special treatment by experienced
practitioners and is not covered in these guidelines.
The expressions for maximum soil spring force are based on laboratory and field experimental
investigations on pipeline response, as well as general geotechnical approaches for related
structures such as piles, embedded anchor plates, and strip footings. Several of the equations
have been derived to fit published curves to facilitate their use in spreadsheets or other computer-
based applications.
B.1 Axial Soil Springs

The maximum axial soil force per unit length of pipe that can be transmitted to the pipe is:
1 K0
TU D c DH tan (B-1)
2
where:
D = pipe outside diameter
c = soil cohesion representative of the soil backfill
H = depth to pipe centerline
= effective unit weight of soil
July 2001 Page 68

Ko = coefficient of pressure at rest

= adhesion factor (curve fit to plots of recommended values in Figure B.2)
0.274 0.695
0.608 0.123c where c is in ksf or kPa/100
c2 1 c3 1
= interface angle of friction for pipe and soil = f
internal friction angle of the soil
f = coating dependent factor relating the internal friction angle of the soil to the
friction angle at the soil-pipe interface
Representative values of f for various types of external pipe coatings are provided in the
following table:
Pipe Coating f
Concrete 1.0
Coal Tar 0.9
Rough Steel 0.8
Smooth Steel 0.7
Fusion Bonded Epoxy 0.6
Polyethylene 0.6
Table B.1 Friction factor f for Various External Coatings
t = displacement at Tu
= 0.1 inches (3 mm) for dense sand
= 0.2 inches (5 mm) for loose sand
= 0.3 inches (8 mm) for stiff clay
= 0.4 inches (10 mm) for soft clay
B.2 Lateral Soil Springs

The maximum lateral soil force per unit length of pipe that can be transmitted to the pipe is:
Pu N ch cD N qh HD (B-2)
where:
Nch = horizontal bearing capacity factor for clay (0 for c = 0)
Nqh = horizontal bearing capacity factor (0 for =0 )
The expressions below for Nch and Nqh are closed form fits to published empirical (plotted)
results (see Figure B.3).
July 2001 Page 69

Nch = horizontal bearing capacity factor for clay (0 for c = 0)

c d
= a bx 9
( x 1) 2 ( x 1)3
Nqh = horizontal bearing capacity factors for sand (0 for =0 )

2 3 4
= a b( x ) c( x ) d ( x ) e( x )
Factor x a b c d e
Nch 0 H/D 6.752 0.065 -11.063 7.119 --

-3 -5
Nqh 20 H/D 2.399 0.439 -0.03 1.059(10) -1.754(10)
-3 -4
Nqh 25 H/D 3.332 0.839 -0.090 5.606(10) -1.319(10)
-3 -5
Nqh 30 H/D 4.565 1.234 -0.089 4.275(10) -9.159(10)
-3 -4
Nqh 35 H/D 6.816 2.019 -0.146 7.651(10) -1.683(10)
-3 -4
Nqh 40 H/D 10.959 1.783 0.045 -5.425(10) -1.153(10)
-3 -4
Nqh 45 H/D 17.658 3.309 0.048 -6.443(10) -1.299(10)
Nqh can be interpolated for intermediate values of between 20 and 45
p displacement at Pu
D
0.04 H 0.10 D to 0.15D
2
B.3 Vertical Uplift Soil Springs

The equations for determining upward vertical soil spring forces are based on small-scale
laboratory tests and theoretical models. For this reason, the applicability of the equations is
limited to relatively shallow burial depths, as expressed as the ratio of the depth to pipe
centerline to the pipe diameter (H/D). Conditions in which the H/D ratio is greater than the limit
provided below require case-specific geotechnical guidance on the magnitude of soil spring force
and the relative displacement necessary to develop this force.
Qu N cv cD N qv HD (B-3)
where:
Ncv = vertical uplift factor for clay (0 for c = 0)
Nqv = vertical uplift factor for sand (0 for =0 )
July 2001 Page 70

H H
Ncv = 2 10 applicable for 10
D D
H
Nqv = Nq (See Section B.4 for definition of Nq)
44 D
The above equations represent an approximation to published results such as those illustrated in
Figure B.4.
qu = displacement at Qu
= 0.01H to 0.02H for dense to loose sands < 0.1D
= 0.1H to 0.2H for stiff to soft clays < 0.2D
B.4 Vertical Bearing Soil Springs

D2
Qd N c cD N q HD N (B-4)
2
where:
Nc, Nq, N = bearing capacity factors
0.001
Nc = [cot( 0.001)]{exp[ tan( 0.001)] tan 2 45 1}
2
Nq = exp( tan ) tan 2 45

2
N = e(0.18 2.5)
(this is a curve fit to plotted values of N in Figure B.5)
= total unit weight of soil
qd = displacement at Qd
= 0.1D for granular soils
= 0.2D for cohesive soils
B.5 References
Hansen, J.B., “The Ultimate Resistance of Rigid Piles Against Transversal Forces,”
Bulletin 12, Danish Geotechnical Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1961.
Trautmann, C.H. and T.D. O'Rourke, “Behavior of Pipe in Dry Sand Under Lateral and
Uplift Loading,” Geotechnical Engineering Report 83-6, Cornell University, Ithaca, New
York, 1983.
July 2001 Page 71

B.6 Figures
a) Actual Three-dimensional Soil Restraint on Pipeline
b) Idealized Representation of Soil with Discrete Springs
P T Q
Pu
Tu
p t qd Qu
p t qu
Tu
Pu
Qd
c) Bi-linear Soil Springs Used to Represent Soil Force on Pipe
Figure B.1 Pipeline Modeling Approach
July 2001 Page 72

1.6
ASCE (1984)
1.4 Tomlinson (1957)
Rizkalla et al. (1996)
1.2 Balboa
Adhesion Factor
Potrero Canyon
1 Paulin et al. (1998)
Rizkalla et al. (1996) Data
Proposed Equation
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Undrained Shear Strength, kPa
Figure B.2 Plotted Values for the Adhesion Factor,
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Figure B.3 Values of Nqh and Nch of Hansen 1961
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Figure B.4 Ranges for Values of Nqv and Ncv (from Trautman and O’Rourke, 1983)
July 2001 Page 75

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
Nc
Nq
10
N
5.14
1.00
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
, degrees
Figure B.5 Plotted Values of Bearing Capacity Factors (Nq, Nc, and N )
July 2001 Page 76

Soil Spring Representation

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How are soil forces on buried pipelines modeled?

How are soil forces on buried pipelines modeled?

What factors influence the maximum soil force exerted on a pipeline?

What factors influence the maximum soil force exerted on a pipeline?

Guidelines for the Design of Buried Steel Pipe

Appendix B: Soil Spring Representation

B.1 Axial Soil Springs

July 2001 Page 68

Ko = coefficient of pressure at rest

B.2 Lateral Soil Springs

July 2001 Page 69

Nch = horizontal bearing capacity factor for clay (0 for c = 0)

Nqh = horizontal bearing capacity factors for sand (0 for =0 )

Nch 0 H/D 6.752 0.065 -11.063 7.119 --

Nqh can be interpolated for intermediate values of between 20 and 45

B.3 Vertical Uplift Soil Springs

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B.4 Vertical Bearing Soil Springs

Nq = exp( tan ) tan 2 45

July 2001 Page 71

a) Actual Three-dimensional Soil Restraint on Pipeline

b) Idealized Representation of Soil with Discrete Springs

c) Bi-linear Soil Springs Used to Represent Soil Force on Pipe

Figure B.1 Pipeline Modeling Approach

July 2001 Page 72

Figure B.2 Plotted Values for the Adhesion Factor,

July 2001 Page 73

Figure B.3 Values of Nqh and Nch of Hansen 1961

July 2001 Page 74

July 2001 Page 75

July 2001 Page 76

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