Fragility Functions for Pipeline in Liquefiable Sand: a Case Study on the Groningen Gas Network

Any pipeline network is of strategic importance for the country in which it is located, both because its correct functioning is of vital importance for today’s functioning of the community and because any disruption, malfunctioning or rupture represents a hazard for the community. In this paper the fragility function for a simple segment of a high pressure pipeline installed in loose, saturated sand is investigated with respect to shallow earthquakes. These earthquakes can cause local permanent ground deformation due to liquefaction effects.