Strength Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Buried Steel Gas Pipelines Under Vehicle Load

ABSTRACT Buried steel gas pipelines are increasingly facing safety challenges due to the escalating traffic loads and varying burial depths, which could potentially lead to hazards such as leakage, fire, and explosion. This paper investigates stress mechanisms in buried steel gas pipelines subjected to vehicular loading through integrated analytical approaches. Theoretical modeling incorporates three key components: dynamic vehicle load characteristics, soil‐pipeline interaction pressures, and stress distribution angles across pipeline cross‐sections. Stress variations are systematically quantified under varying soil conditions and load configurations. A finite‐element model was developed to simulate pipeline responses, with computational results cross‐validated against theoretical predictions to establish stress profiles under multiple operational scenarios. Additionally, this paper employ fatigue accumulation damage and reliability theories, utilizing Fe‐Safe software to evaluate pipeline reliability, determining fatigue life and strength coefficients for various loads and burial depths. Based on these analyses, this paper develop risk control measures and protective methods for buried steel gas pipelines, validated through finite‐element and fatigue analyses. Overall, this paper offers insights for preventing and controlling risks to buried steel gas pipelines under vehicle loads.