A Novel Risk Assessment Approach for Existing Pipelines due to Tunneling Excavation
Limao Zhang, Xianguo Wu, Miroslaw Jan Skibniewski, Yueqing Chena, Hongyu Chen · Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual MeetingTransportation Research Board · 2014
This paper presents a novel approach with step-by-step procedures for risk assessment of existing pipelines in tunneling environments (RAEPTE), where Cloud Model (CM) provides a basis for uncertainty transforming between qualitative concepts and their quantitative expressions. An evaluation index system of multiple layers and attributes is established for RAEPTE according to the tunnel-induced pipe failure mechanism analysis. The evaluation result is assessed by the correlation with the cloud model of each risk level. A confidence indicator is proposed to illustrate the rationality and reliability of evaluating results. Ten underground buried pipes adjacent to the construction of Wuhan Metro Line Two were chosen in a case study. Comparisons between different evaluation methods were further discussed according to results. The proposed approach was verified to be a more competitive solution when obtained data was not sufficient. The original data can be directly entered as inputs without a normalization procedure, avoiding the potential information loss. This approach can be used as a decision tool for the risk assessment in other similar projects, and to increase the likelihood of a successful project in an uncertain environment.