The feasibility and prospect of strain-based design to pipelines in China

With the sharply rising demand of oil and gas, the Chinese pipeline industry has been experiencing a rapid development in recent years. Pipelines in the areas of ground movement from slope instability, seismic sideslip, loess collapse, mining subsidence, frost heave and thaw settlement in discontinuous permafrost can experience displacement-control led plastic strain. This paper describes the application of strain-based design of pipelines in China and introduces relevant codes, standards, and criteria of other countries. Some major issues in strain-based design such as geologic conditions, strain limits, mechanical performance, etc., are mentioned. The feasibility and prospect of strain-based design of pipelines in China is discussed with reference to the geologic conditions and the state of the Chinese pipeline industry.