Basics for Stress Analysis of Underground Piping using

Caesar II
August 30, 2016

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Underground or buried piping are all piping which runs below grade. In every process industry there
will be few lines (Sewer or drainage system, Sanitary and Storm Water lines, Fire water or drinking
water lines etc), part of which normally runs underground. However the term buried piping or
underground piping, in true sense, appears for pipeline industry as miles of long pipe run carrying
fluids will be there.
Analyzing an underground pipe line is quite different from analyzing plant piping. Special problems are
involved because of the unique characteristics of a pipeline, code requirements and techniques
required in analysis. Elements of analysis include pipe movements, anchorage force, soil friction,
lateral soil force and soil pipe interaction.
To appreciate pipe code requirements and visualize problems involved in pipe line stress analysis, it is
necessary to first distinguish a pipe line from plant piping. Unique characteristics of a pipe line include:

High allowable stress: A pipe line has a rather simple shape. It is circular and very often runs
several miles before making a turn. Therefore, the stresses calculated are all based on simple
static equilibrium formulas which are very reliable. Since stresses produced are predictable,
allowable stress used is considerable higher than that used in plant piping.

High yield strength pipe: To raise the allowable, the first obstacle is yield strength. Although a
pipe line operating beyond yield strength may not create structural integrity problems, it may
cause undesirable excessive deformation and possibility of strain follow up. Therefore, high
test line with a very high yield to ultimate strength ratio is normally used in pipe line
construction. Yield strength in some pipe can be as high as 80 percent of ultimate strength. All
allowable stresses are based only on yield strength.

High pressure elongation: Movement of pipe line is normally due to expansion of a very long
line at low temperature difference. Pressure elongation, negligible in plant piping, contributes
much of the total movement and must be included in the analysis.

Soil- pipe interaction: The main portion of a pipe line is buried underground. Any pipe
movement has to overcome soil force, which can be divided into two categories: Friction force
created from sliding and pressure force resulting from pushing. The major task of pipe line
analysis is to investigate soil- pipe interaction which has never been a subject in plant piping
analysis.

Normally these lines does not have high design temperatures (of the order of 60 to 80 degree
centigrade) and only thermal stress checking is sufficient for underground part. Common materials
used for underground piping are Carbon Steel, Ductile iron, cast Iron, Stainless Steel and FRP/GRP.
In this article I will try to explain the steps followed while analysing such systems using Caesar II.
However this article does not cover the basic theory for analysis.
Inputs Required for Analysis:
Before proceeding for analysis of buried piping using Caesar II collect the following information from
related department
1. Isometric drawings or GA drawings of the pipeline from Piping layout Department.
2. Line parameters (Temperature, Pressure, Material, Fluid Density, etc) from process Department.
3. Soil Properties from Civil Department.

Caesar II for Underground Piping Analysis:

The CAESAR II underground pipe modeler is designed to simplify user input of buried pipe data. To
achieve this objective the Modeler performs the following functions for analyst:

Allows the direct input of soil properties. The Modeler contains the equations for buried pipe
stiffnesses that are outlined later in this report. These equations are used to calculate first the
stiffnesses on a per length of pipe basis, and then generate the restraints that simulate the
discrete buried pipe restraint.

Breaks down straight and curved lengths of pipe to locate soil restraints. CAESAR II uses a
zone concept to break down straight and curved sections. Where transverse bearing is a
concern (near bends, tees, and entry/exit points), soil restraints are located in close proximity
and where axial load dominates, soil restraints are spaced far apart.

Allows the direct input of user-defined soil stiffnesses on a per length of pipe basis. Input
parameters include axial, transverse, upward, and downward stiffnesses, as well as ultimate
loads. Users can specify user-defined stiffnesses separately, or in conjunction with CAESAR
IIs automatically generated soil stiffnesses.

Modeling steps followed in Caesar II:

The modeling of buried piping is very easy if you have all the data at your hand. The following steps
are followed for modeling:

From the isometric model the line in the same way as you follow in case of above ground pipe
model i.e, enter line properties in Caesar Spreadsheet, enter lengths by breaking the line into
several nodes or select an existing job for converting it into an underground model.

Analyst can start the Buried Pipe Modeler by selecting an existing job and then choosing
Input-Underground from the CAESAR II Main Menu. The Modeler is designed to read a
standard CAESAR II input data file that describes the basic layout of the piping system as if it
was not buried. From this basic input CAESAR II creates a second input data file that
contains the buried pipe model. This second input file typically contains a much larger number
of elements and restraints than the first job. The first job that serves as the pattern is termed
the original job. The second file that contains the element mesh refinement and the buried
pipe restraints is termed the buried job. CAESAR II names the buried job by appending a B
to the name of the original job.

When the Buried Pipe Modeler is initially started up, the following screen appears:

Fig. 1: Sample Caesar II Spreadsheet for Buried Piping

This spreadsheet is used to enter the buried element descriptions for the job. The buried element
description spreadsheet serves several functions:

Allows analyst to define which part of the piping system is buried.

Allows analyst to define mesh spacing at specific element ends.

Allows the input of user-defined soil stiffnesses.

From/ To node:Any element of pipe in CAESAR II can be define by two elements first is start point and second is end
point. In buried pipe model, before conversion the From/ To nodes remains same as unburied model.
Soil model no. :This column is used to define which of the elements in the model are buried. A nonzero entry in this
column implies that the associated element is buried. A 1 in this column implies that the analyst
wishes to enter user defined stiffnesses, on a per length of pipe basis, at this point in the model.
These stiffnesses must follow in column numbers 6 through 13. Any number greater than 1 in the soil
model no. column points to a CAESAR II soil restraint model generated using the equations outlined
later under Soil Models from analyst entered soil data.
From/ To mesh type:A critical part of the modeling of an underground piping system is the proper definition of Zone 1
bearing regions. These regions primarily occur:
On either side of a change in direction
For all pipes framing into an intersection
At points where the pipe enters or leaves the soil
CAESAR II automatically puts a Zone 1 mesh gradient at each side of the pipe framing into an elbow.
Note it is the analysts responsibility to tell CAESAR II where the other Zone 1 areas are located in the
piping system.
User defined stiffness & ultimate load :There are 13 columns in the spreadsheet. Column 6 to 13 carry the user defined soil stiffnesses and

ultimate loads if analyst defines soil model 1. Analyst has to enter lateral, axial, upward, downward
stiffnesses & loads.
Procedure :1. Select the original job and enter the buried pipe modeler. The original job must already exist,
and will serve as the basis for the new buried pipe model. The original model should only
contain the basic geometry of the piping system to be buried. The modeler will remove any
existing restraints (in the buried portion). Add any underground restraints to the buried model.
Rename the buried job if CAESAR II default name is not appropriate.
2. Enter the soil data using Soil Models.
3. Describe the sections of the piping system that are buried, and define any required fine mesh
areas using the buried element data spreadsheet.
4. Convert the original model into the buried model by the activation of option Convert Input.
This step produces a detailed description of the conversion.
5. Exit the Buried Pipe Modeler and return to the CAESAR II Main Menu. From here the analyst
may perform the analysis of the buried pipe job.

Underground Piping Stress Analysis Procedure using

Caesar II
August 13, 2016

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Refer my earlier article on buried piping to get preliminary theoretical knowledge on stress analysis of
underground piping. Click here to visit that article. In this article I will explain the steps followed for
modelling and analysis the pipes in Caesar II. Inputs Required: Like all other systems you need to
model the piping system in Caesar II initially following the same conventional method. So you need
the following inputs:

Piping isometrics or GA drawings with dimensions.

Pipe parameters like temperature, pressure, material, diameter, thickness, corrosion

allowance, fluid density etc.

Additionally you need the following soil parameters from civil department (geo-technology
department) for creation of soil model.

o Friction Co-efficient o Soil Density o Buried depth to Top of Pipe and o Friction Angle

Equipment/Valve GA drawings as per application.

Modelling of the system:

Model the piping system from isometrics/GA drawings using the pipe parameters.

Normally some part of the system will be above ground and some part will be buried. Lets
take an example of a typical system for easy understanding. Refer Fig 1. The stress system
consists of 24 inch CS pipe connected to tank. The parts inside the rectangle are above
ground and remaining parts are underground.

Create a distinct node at all the junction points of underground and above ground piping.

After you complete your model, save it, close and then enter the buried model by clicking the
Underground Pipe modeler button as shown in Fig.2.

Fig.1: Typical Caesar II system for underground piping analysis

Fig.2: Opening the underground pipe modeler.

Once you click on the underground pipe modeler the following screen (Fig. 3) will open. You
will find all your input node numbers listed there.

Fig.3: Underground Soil modeler input screen

Now your task is to create the soil model and input data received from civil. On clicking Soil
Models button (Highlighted in Fig.3) you will get the window where you have to enter the
data. You have two options to select as soil model type, Americal Lifelines alliance and caesar
II Basic Model. We will use Caesar II basic model for this article. So select Caesar II Basic
model. The modeler uses the values that you define to compute axial, lateral, upward, and
downward stiffnesses, along with ultimate loads. Each set of soil properties is identified by a
unique soil model number, starting with the number 2. The soil model number is used in the
buried element descriptions to tell CAESAR II in what type of soil the pipe is buried. You can
enter up to 15 different soil model numbers in any one buried pipe job. Input the parameters
as shown in Fig. 4. If you require to add more soil models simply click on add new soil model.
Overburden compaction factor, Yield displacement factor and thermal expansion co-efficient
will automatically be filled by default. You need to input all other fields. However, defining a
value for TEMPERATURE CHANGE is optional. If entered the thermal strain is used to

compute the theoretical virtual anchor length. Leave undrained sheer strength field blank.
After all data has been entered click on ok button.

Fig.4: Caesar II Basic Soil Model

Now inform Caesar II about the underground and above ground parts by selecting the nodes
and defining proper soil model number. If you enter 0 as soil model number, the element is
not buried. If you enter 1, then specify the buried soil stiffnesss per length basis in column 6
through 13. (preferable do not use 1). If you enter a number greater than 1, the software
points to a CAESAR II soil restraint model generated using the equations outlined in Soil
Models of Caesar II. Refer Fig. 5 for example. After all aboveground and underground parts
along with proper soil model number are defined click on convert button and Caesar II will
create the underground model.

Fig.5: Buried Model Input Spreadsheet in Caesar II

When underground model conversion is over you will get the buried model. By default,
Caesar II appends the name of the job with the letter B. For example, if the original job is
named System1, the software saves the second input file with the name System1B. If the
default name is not appropriate, you can rename the buried job.

In the buried part Caesar II models bi-linear restraints with stiffness values which the software
calculates while conversion into buried model. Refer Fig.6 to check the buried model of the
system shown in Fig.1. These stiffness values depend on the distance between the nodes.

Now open the file (original file appended by B) and perform static analysis in the same
conventional way and qualify the system from code requirements.

Fig.6: Buried model of the system shown in Fig.1

Few Important points to keep in mind:

Typical values of friction angle are as follows:

o Clay 0 o

Silt 26-25 o Sand 27-45

Typical friction coefficient values are:

o Silt 0.4 o Sand 0.5 o Gravel 0.6 o Clay 0.6

The default value of overburden compaction multiplier is 8. However this number can be
reduced depending on the degree of compaction of the backfill. Backfill efficiency can be
approximated using the proctor number, defined in most soils text books. Standard practice is
to multiple the proctor number by 8 and use the result as the compaction multiplier.

After entering data in soil model when you click ok, the Caesar II software saves the soil data
in a file with the extension SOI.

During the process of creating the buried model, the modeler removes any restraints in the
buried section. Any additional restraints in the buried section can be entered in the resulting
buried model. The buried job, if it exists, is overwritten by the successful generation of a
buried pipe model. It is the buried job that is eventually run to compute displacements and
stresses.

Caesar II removes the density from the buried part model while converting into buried model.