Differential settlement, which is the uneven sinking or movement of the soil along the length of a buried pipeline, significantly alters the stress distribution within the pipeline. A buried pipeline is designed to withstand certain internal pressures and external loads, assuming a relatively uniform support from the surrounding soil. Differential settlement disrupts this uniform support, causing the pipeline to bend and deform. When a section of the pipeline settles more than the adjacent sections, it creates bending moments and stresses in the pipe wall. These bending stresses can be significant, especially in areas where the ....
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