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Canada’s Pipeline Infrastructure: Buried but not Forgotten

Buried and unseen, Canada’s water, sewer, oil, and gas pipelines are generally taken for granted until the media reports on ruptures and flooding—usually the result of aging water pipes, sinkholes over corroded or fractured sewers, or oil and gas leaks.

Dr. Ian Moore, Canada Research Chair in Infrastructure Engineering, is working to improve this situation. Moore’s research on the behaviour and design of buried pipelines is ensuring that Canada’s annual; multi-billion dollar investments in pipe systems are more effective and based on a better understanding of new pipe infrastructure performance, the remaining strength of deteriorated pipelines, and new methods of repair and replacement.

Among Moore’s key contributions are studies examining how buried pipes interact with surrounding soil, and the consequences of soil erosion as water flows into leaking sewers and culverts. Moore and his research team are examining the risks associated with frost loads, earthquakes, landslides, and other natural phenomena on these pipe systems, so engineers can design more resilient systems. Moore and his team are also investigating non-metal alternatives to oil and gas transmission pipes, eliminating the potential for corrosion and reducing the risk to the environment.

Many of Moore’s design methods have been incorporated into North American and international pipe standards, and his procedures are used by consultants to manage the risk of infrastructure damage during construction. His work in explaining the “diseases” that affect aging pipelines also allows the engineers who manage them to address the causes rather than simply treating the symptoms.