GRP관은 연성관으로 분류되며, 지중에서 지반과 함께 외부하중에 저항하는 상호거동을 한다. 또한 국내 설계기준에서는 GRP관의 설계에 대한 명확한 규정을 제시하지 못하고 있으나, AWWA M 45 및 ASTM D 2412에서는 지중매설 GRP관의 관변형에 대한 주요설계변수를 관강성, 지반반력계수, 기초각 등으로 규정하고 있다. 이 연구에서는 지중매설된 연성관의 구조적 거동을 파악하기 위하여 기존 연구에서 수행한 연구결과와 AWWA M 45에서 제시하고 있는 설계식을 이용하여, 관강성, 지 반반력계수, 기초각계수를 변수로 지반-관 상호작용 특성을 검토하였다. 검토결과 지중매설 GRP관의 구조적 거동에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 설계변수는 지반반력계수이고, 기초각은 180°로 시공하여야 하며, 특히 대구경관에서는 지반의 영향이 더욱 중요한 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 GRP의 안전성을 확보하기 위해서는 시공과정에서 되메움토에 대한 다짐도, 상대밀도, 흙의 종류에 대한 세부적인 규정과 관리가 필요하며, 특히, 헌치부에 대한 시공관리가 이루어져야 할 것으로 판단된다.

Glass fiber reinforced thermosetting polymer plastic (GRP) is widely used in the construction industries due to the advantages of their superior mechanical and physical characteristics. Most of pipes are installed for long-term purposes and they should be safely installed in consideration of installation conditions because there are unexpected various terrestrial loading conditions. In this paper, we present the result of investigation for 253 days pertaining to the structural behavior of flexible pipes buried underground. From the buried test results, we predicted long-term, up to 60 years, ring deflection of GRP pipes buried underground based on the method suggested by the existing literature. It was found that the GRP flexible pipe is appropriate because 5% ring deflection limitation of 60 years could be satisfied.

Glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes buried underground are attractive for use in harsh environments, such as for the collection and transmission of liquids which are abrasive and/or corrosive. In this paper, we present the result of investigation pertaining to the structural behavior of GRP flexible pipes buried underground. In the investigation of structural behavior such as a ring deflection, experimental and analytical studies are conducted. In addition, vertical ring deflection is measured by the field test and finite element analysis (FEA) is also conducted to simulate behavior of GRP pipe buried underground. Based on the results from the finite element analyses considering soil-pipe interaction the vertical ring deflection behavior of buried GRP pipe is predicted. In addition, analytical and experimental results are compared and discussed.

GRP (Glass fiber reinforced polymer plastic) pipes are classified into flexible pipe category because of the structural characteristics of GRP pipes buried underground. Moreover, the ring deflection of GRP pipe is affected by the certain factors such as pipe stiffness, the modulus of soil reaction of backfill materials, and bedding conditions. In this study, we investigated the structural characteristics of the GRP pipes buried underground considering the soil-pipe interaction including bedding angle, pipe stiffness, and soil density used as a backfill material. From this parametric study, it was found that the soil density used for the backfill is the most important factor relating to the ring deflection of the buried GRP pipe.