Correlation of Pipeline Damage with Ground Motions

Abstract

Data on pipeline damage rates for several earthquakes has been compiled and correlated with various ground motion parameters depending on the intensity of the ground shaking. For transient, low-intensity ground shaking occurring at large distances from the actual faulting, both the ground velocity and ground strain have been correlated with pipeline damage. For the limited data set used, both parameters correlated well with the frequency of pipeline damage. Pipeline damage in a region of high-intensity ground shaking located near the surface expression of a fault is correlated with permanent vertical ground displacement measured after the earthquake. The results indicated a strong correlation exists between the rate of pipeline damage and permanent ground displacement. Limits on the applicability of the results and recommendations for further study are given.