(I believe an oil pipeline\u00a0leak is\u00a0a good example of how easy\u00a0it can be to initially figure out\u00a0the cause of a failure.\u00a0 Civil litigators and insurance claims consultants\u00a0like to know early\u00a0on where the technical issues in a case might be heading)<\/p>\n
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An oil pipeline has got to be one of the simplest structures in the built environment, “…a line of connected pipes that are used for carrying liquids and gases over a long distance”.\u00a0 (Ref. 1)<\/p>\n
The pipes are connected by welding the ends together.\u00a0 The pipeline is often supported at the connections on simple foundations.\u00a0 This would be the case in terrain underlain by permafrost – permanently frozen ground – or where it’s\u00a0more economical to build above the ground rather than bury the pipeline.\u00a0\u00a0Welding and building foundations\u00a0are the two main tasks on-site in pipeline construction.<\/p>\n
Such a simple, linear structure is susceptible to pressure to build it fast.\u00a0 Fast work\u00a0can be\u00a0a threat to the quality of the welded connection and the foundations.<\/p>\n
Pipeline\u00a0planners and designers estimate cost in part on how fast it can be built.<\/p>\n
Pipeline contractors make money by building it fast.\u00a0 “Excavate the ground, construct the foundations, lift\u00a0a length of pipe in place, weld the connection.\u00a0 Next please<\/em>.”<\/p>\n The adequacy of the ground\u00a0to support foundations\u00a0is investigated by engineers along the pipeline route at the design stage – but not at the location of every pipe connection.\u00a0 Foundation soils vary even in the most uniform of natural deposits.\u00a0 The soils will be weaker at some locations and stronger at others.\u00a0 Too weak a soil will cause a foundation to subside and possibly over stress the welded connection and cause it to fail and leak – oil.<\/p>\n The adequacy of the welded connections and the foundations\u00a0are inspected, ideally by an independent materials testing and inspection firm – but not likely at every connection.\u00a0 A grossly inadequate weld while unlikely that is missed during inspection might leak oil regardless the adequacy of the foundation.\u00a0 A less than adequate weld combined with the stress from\u00a0a subsiding foundation might break and leak oil.\u00a0 A low probability perhaps but still.<\/p>\n An initial hypothesis as to the cause of a leak\u00a0would be easy for a\u00a0forensic engineer.\u00a0 S\/he’s got three main choices\u00a0for a simple structure like a pipeline:<\/p>\n Depending on\u00a0specific conditions at the failure site, the expert\u00a0would pick one\u00a0of the possibilities for their initial thought on the cause of the oil leak.<\/p>\n Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n (I believe an oil pipeline\u00a0leak is\u00a0a good example of how easy\u00a0it can be to initially figure out\u00a0the cause of a failure.\u00a0 Civil litigators and insurance claims consultants\u00a0like to know early\u00a0on where the technical issues in a case might be heading) … Continue reading \n
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