ANÁLISE DE ESTABILIDADE DE CONDUTOS DE ADUÇÃO PELO MÉTODO DOS ELEMENTOS FINITOS

Abstract

Interruption of water supply is a major concernof public health. In order to minimize the associated risks,water supply companies require analysis tools for the designof reliable systems. In this work we propose the applicationof computational tools to the dimensioning and safetyestimative for large diameter tubes, typical of urban watersupply systems. The application of Computer AidedEngineering (CAE) methods allows determination of thesystem´s structural life, as well as performance andeconomical evaluation of different repair or reinforcementtechniques. A finite element model of the North Sector of SãoPaulo´s water supply system (SAM) is presented, as anexample of application of the proposed methodology. Thedeveloped model is used to investigate how reinforcementribs, placed at an adequate spacing, can compensate theeffect of loss of wall thickness, due to corrosion, on thestability of self-equilibrated, siphon arched pipes undervacuum conditions.

Index Terms - Finite Element Method, water main lines,arch pipe, buckling analysis.