Movement Study of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline at Selected Sites

• Main Authors: Ueda,H T, Garfield,D E, Haynes,F D
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1981
• Subjects: Civil Engineering; *PIPELINES; MEASUREMENT; STABILITY; MOTION; LONG RANGE(TIME); VARIATIONS; THERMAL EXPANSION; TABLES(DATA); SUPPORTS; ELEVATION; TILT; STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS; CRUDE OIL; *Transalaska oil pipeline; Fairbanks; Tilting; TransAlaska; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA101605; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA101605

Eight sites along the trans-Alaska pipeline from the Denali Fault to Fairbanks were selected for pipeline and pipeline support movement studies. Four measurement surveys were conducted, starting before oil pumping operations began up to September 1978, to determine the lateral and longitudinal pipe movement due to the thermal expansion of elevated sections of the pipeline, the tilt of the vertical support members (VSM's), and the changes in relative elevation of the support crossbeams. A maximum lateral and longitudinal motion of the pipe of 13 3/8 in. and 2 13/16 in. respectively were measured up to September 1978. Tilt data for 180 VSM's showed little change over a one-year period, with only 5 VSM's tilting more than 0.5 deg. Relative elevation measurements showed insignificant changes for two sites compared over a one-year period. Comparisons of our data with as-built elevations at 8 sites show a few large differences that cannot be readily explained. In general the pipeline and its supports, at least at the sites studied, show minimal movement and activity. (Author)