Mechanics analysis of pipe lifting in horizontal directional drilling

Horizontal directional drilling has become popular in pipeline engineering to avoid damage to building facilities from the use of traditional underground construction methods. During construction in horizontal directional drilling engineering, pipelines are lifted to a height to decrease resistance. However, the lifting process may produce excessive stress, which can damage the pipeline. Thus, the variations in pipeline stress during the lifting process is needed to be studied. In this paper, a finite element model verified by tests has been established to study the lifting process. Then, in combination with guidance from engineering practice, the lifting process has been analyzed by the finite element model. In the end, it is found that the double-gondola lifting operation can significantly reduce pipeline the maximum stress about 20% and the lifting heights H1 = 1.695 m and H2 = 2.3 m are the best combination for the Jiangdu–Rudong gas pipeline engineering project.