Numerical and Experimental Investigation of a Pipe-Joint System for High Operating Pressures

Abstract

For pipelines laid in difficult ground, as frequently encountered in Alpine regions, a pipe system, consisting of individual pipes made of ductile cast iron, which are connected at joints at the construction site, is a favorable type of construction. This paper deals with the development of such pipelines for high operating pressures. Because the joints have to sustain both the high operating pressure and high axial forces assuring concurrently water tightness, they are the critical parts of such pipe systems. The synthesis of numerical simulations and experimental validation is presented as an efficient design approach. Prototypes are produced on the basis of the results of fully three-dimensional and simpler axisymmetric finite-element simulations. The prototypes are subjected to ultimate load tests for validating the design. A comparison of measured and computed data illustrates the structural behavior of the joint up to the ultimate load.