A GIS Based Simulation of Ground Movement Due to Pipe Bursting Operation

Accurate prediction of the magnitude and extent of ground movements caused by the use of pipe bursting is important if confidence in its use is to be enhanced. This paper presents a method for quantifying the three-dimensional surface displacements induced by pipe bursting, which was implemented using commercial GIS software. Most current analytical solutions for determining soil displacement are based on the plane or controlled strain approaches using the cavity expansion theory, and simulation results are presented in 2-D. In the methodology presented in this paper the ground surface is divided into a grid with a pre-determined mesh size and the coordinates of each node are represented in a spatial data format. A simplified fluid flow theory is used to manipulate the spatial data. As the bursting head advances, the vertical displacement of each node is computed. The profile of the ground surface at each time step (i.e., incremental advance of the bursting head) can be visualized and the predicted soil displacement contour at different elevations studied. The paper presents the model formulation, codification using ArcView GIS software and the results of a validation process, where model’s predictions were compared with experiments results reported in the literature. The incorporation of an analytical geotechnical ground movement algorithm within ArcView provides a powerful analysis tool for utility and municipal engineers. The designer can now export a shape file with existing utility lines and other surface improvements data into the analysis module, run the analysis and obtain the predicted soil movement at various locations within the proposed alignment. Using ArcView’s powerful spatial analysis capabilities, potential problem areas (i.e., displacement exceeding a pre-determined threshold in the vicinity of a buried structural element) can be then identified with ease.