December 19, 2012

Critical Buckling Pressure of Embedded Steel Pipe

1.

Formula by Technical Standards for Gates and Penstocks in Japan

In Technical Standards for Gates and Penstocks in japan, the critical buckling pressure is prescribed
as follow. It is based on the paper by Amstutz in 1953.
((AMSTUTZ,E. Das Einbeulen von vorgespannten Schacht-und Stollenpanzerungen, Schweizerische
Bauzeitung,71,1953,N.16,p229.)by Amstutz in 1953.)
a. Equation for defining the axial stress at the moment of buckling (N )
(

N
k0
+
rm
Es

)(
1 + 12

rm 2 N
t2 Es

)1.5
= 3.36

rm F N
t
Es

(
)
1 rm F N
1
2 t
Es

(1)

b. Critical buckling pressure

pk =

rm
t

N
rm F N
1 + 0.35
t
Es

(2)

c. Properties of steel material

Es =

Es
1 s 2

F
F =
1 s + s 2

= 1.5 0.5

1
(1 + 0.002 Es /F )2

(3)

d. Gap between outer surface of steel pipe and inner surface of backfill concrete
k0 =

(s T + g a /Es )r00
1 + g

If compressive stress v is acted in the steel pipe, k0 /rm shall be changed to v /Es .
pk
D0
t0
t

Es
s
rm
r00
N
F
Es
F

k0
s
T
g

:
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Critical buckling pressure

Internal diameter of the pipe
Plate thickness of the pipe
plate thickness of the pipe excluding margin thickness (= t0 )
Margin thickness for corrosion and wear
Elastic modulus of steel
Poisons ratio of steel
Radius to the center of shell thickness (= (D0 + t0 )/2)
Radius to the external surface of shell (= (D0 + 2t0 )/2)
Critical axial stress at the moment of buckling
Yield stress of steel shell
Modified elastic modulus including Poissons eect
Modified yield stress including Poissons eect
Coecient for supporting eect
Gap between concrete and external surface of steel pipe
Coecient of thermal expansion of steel
Temperature change of steel pipe (positive is decrease of temperature)
Plastic deformation modulus of be
Joint eciency
Allowable stress of steel pipe

(4)

2.

Formula by Amstutz (1970)

According to the paper by Ernst Amstutz Buckling of pressure-shaft and tunnel linings: Water Power
November 1970, the critical buckling pressure of embedded steel pipe is defined as follow.
In this paper, not only the cases of perfect circular pipe but also the case of the pipe with imperfections
such as initial deflection and oset of the joint are described.
2.1 Basic formula for perfect circular pipe
Following assumptions are introduced as the basis of the analysis in order to derive the critical buckling
pressure of embedded steel pipe.
Assumption by Amstutz

1
Displacement of steel pipe in outer direction is restricted by the backfilled concrete.

2
Steel pipe has completely elastic body and backfilled concrete is considered as a rigid body.

3
Deflection mode of steel pipe is approximated as trigonometrical function.

4
Reduction of restriction by the gap between concrete and external surface of the steel pipe, or
Increase of restriction by the pre-stress is considered.

5
The compressive stress of external surface (uniform compression + bending stress) of the pipe is
equal to the yield stress of steel pipe at the moment of buckling.

6
Since steel pipe considered is embedded in rock zone, restriction by Poissons eect is considered
for elastic modulus and yield stress of the steel pipe.
(Es is increased to Es using Poissons ration s .)

7
Since ultimate bending strength of the steel is greater than initial yield bending strength, critical
strength of the pipe is increased using coecient of supporting eect.
(F is increased to F using Poissons ratio s and coecient for supporting eect .)
a. Equation for defining the axial stress at the moment of buckling (N )
(

k0
N
+
rm
Es

)(
)1.5
(
)
rm 2 N
rm F N
rm F N
1 + 12 2
=
2
1

2
t Es
t
Es
t
Es

(5)

b. Critical buckling pressure

pk =

rm
t

N
rm F N
1 + 2
t
Es

(6)

c. Properties of steel material

Es =

Es
1 s 2

F
F =
1 s + s 2

= 1.5 0.5

1
(1 + 0.002 Es /F )2

(7)

d. Definition of each coecient

3
=

cos()
1 cos()

(8)

( r )2
m
N
t
Es
)
(
1
[ cos() sin()]
= 

[
]
sin2 ()
2
=   sin() cos() + 


sin
()
cot()
sin2 ()

(10)

= (2 1)[1 cos()]

(12)

=

1 + 12

(9)

(11)

e. Condition of deflection mode

 tan = tan()

(0 < 5 /2)

where, means the half angle of deflected range, and unit is degree.

(13)

2.2 Eect of initial deflection

It is considered that imperfect circular section is composed by the parts of four perfect circle. And
the idea is adopted that radius for perfect circular pipe r is increased to r + r taking into consider
oblateness of the pipe.
The relationship between the pipes diameter D and pipes radius r is shown below.
(
)
(
)
r
2/2 + 1
D
2/2 + 1
D

r =

r
r
D
D
3 2/2 1
3 2/2 1
2.3 Eect of oset at the welded joint
Additional bending stress due to additional moment caused by oset at the welded joint is considered.
And the equations to calculate the critical axial stress N and buckling pressure Pcr are modified as
follow.
Additional moment M and additional bending stress are expressed as follow.
M = F

s
N
2

= 3

s
N
t

Then, following equation is adopted for the calculation of N and Pk .

(F N ) (F m N )

m=1+3

s
t

It means that equation (5) and equation (6) is modified using parameter m.
(

k0
N
+
rm
Es

)(
1 + 12

rm 2 N
t2 Es

)1.5

pk =

= 2

rm
t

rm F m N
t
Es

(
)
rm F m N
1 2
t
Es

rm F m N
1 + 2
t
Es

(15)

D + D

Combined section with four parts of perfect circle

N F

90

- 6
s
-?
-
-
-
-



N F

D D

90

(14)

6
t

Model of oset at the welded joint

3.

Estimation of critical buckling pressures using TSGP formula and Amstutz formula (1970)

The values of , and depend on the value of N and are not constant in Amstutzs formula (1970).
However, they are constant values in TSGP (Technical Standards for Gates and Penstocks) in japan as
follow.
= 1.68

= 0.25

= 0.175

It can be understood comparing equation (1) and (2) with equation (5) and (6). These values were
shown in the paper by Amstutz (1953), and these were derived based on geometrical consideration.
The result of comparison of critical buckling pressures using TSGP formula and Amstutz formula
(1970) are shown below.
3.1 Conditions of estimation
The relationship between the value of the ratio (radius / shell thickness) and critical buckling pressure
were estimated using two formulas. In this study, design pipe diameter D0 was varied and design shell
thickness of pipe was fixed as the value of t0 = 30mm.
Conditions for estimation is shown in Table1.
Table1

Conditions for calculation of critical buckling pressure

General conditions
t0 = 30mm
D0 /2t0 = 35 140
Es = 206, 000M P a s = 0.3
= 1.0
T = 20 C
Yield point and allowable stress
Material HT100 SHY685 SM570
F
885
685
450
a
400
330
240
Initial imperfection
Initial deflection
D0 /300
Oset at welded joint 0.05 t0

 = 1.5mm
s = 1.2 105 / C
g = 1.0

SM490
315
175

SM400
235
130

Assumed
Japanese standard

3.2 Result
Estimated results are shown in Fig.1Fig.2.
In Fig.1, the eect of initial imperfection is indicated using Amstutzs formula (1970), and the dierence between Amstutzs formula (1970) with initial imperfections and TSGP formula in japan is shown
in Fig.2.
In these conditions, initial imperfection does not have large influence to the critical buckling pressure.
Moreover, the formula by TSGP in japan gives the result of safety side as compared with the Amstutzs
formula (1970) with initial imperfection.

12

Initial imperfections: Deflection=D0/300, Offset at welded joint=0.05t0

without initial imperfection

11

with initial imperfection

F=885 MPa

Critical buckling pressure (MPa)

10
9
8

F=685 MPa

7
F=450 MPa

F=315 MPa

F=235 MPa

Application limit

4
3
2
1
0
30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

D0 / 2t0
Fig.1

12

Critical buckling pressure by Amstutzs formula (1970)

Initial imperfections: deflection=D0/300, Offset at welded joint=0.05t0

Standard in japan
Amstutz with initial imperfections

11
F=885 MPa

9
8

F=685 MPa

7
F=450 MPa

F=315 MPa

5
4

F=235 MPa

Application limit

Critical buckling pressure (MPa)

10

3
2
1
0
30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

D0 / 2t0
Fig.2

Critical buckling pressures by TSGPs formula and Amstutzs formula (1970)