D-Geo Pipeline
50 years of research and experience
Since the 1970s, Deltares has been involved in the development and execution of trenchless technologies. Trenchless techniques provide a logical alternative when pipelines need to cross roads, railways, dikes, wetlands, rivers and other structures that have to remain intact. These techniques minimize the impact of installation activities in densely populated and economically sensitive areas.
The first releases of D-Geo Pipeline (named MDrill) in 1995 was the result of years of research. It was one of the first design codes for Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD). Currently it contains modules for Micro Tunnelling, the installation of pipelines in trenches (Trench) and for the use of the Direct Pipe method.
Designing pipeline installations with D-Geo Pipeline
D-Geo Pipeline provides tools for the design of a pipeline installation in a trench and trenchless installation, using the micro tunnelling technique or the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technique. D-Geo Pipeline allows the user to minimize the risks during and after installation.
Features
- Geometry and 3D pipeline configuration
The graphical user interface allows an easy and fast input of the soil layers. The upper soil layers can be designated as load for settlement calculation purposes. The three-dimensional pipeline configuration can be entered by a fast tabular input.
2D cross section
- Arching
In case of trenchless installation, D-Geo Pipeline applies a reduced neutral soil load to incorporate the effect of arching. The amount of reduction depends on the installation method, the depth of the pipeline, diameter and the soil properties. - Pipe stress analysis for horizontal directional drilling installation
D-Geo Pipeline calculates the stresses in the pipeline during the installation stages in both axial and tangential direction. In a comprehensive report a stress verification is given for each pipeline material used. - Advanced calculation of settlements
Vertical displacement of soil below the pipeline that occurs after installation is an important factor in assessing the stresses in the pipeline. Pipeline settlement may be entered manually if the vertical settlements are available. For more accurate results, D-Geo Pipeline can use the D-Settlement computer program without additional input. - Advanced pipeline stress analysis
For advanced pipe stress analyses special programs need to be used. These programs need an advanced set of soil mechanical parameters, provided by D–Geo Pipeline . The programs will generate a complete spring model around the pipeline for further analyses.The soil mechanical parameters provided by D-Geo Pipeline are:
– neutral, passive and reduced vertical soil load
– vertical and horizontal modulus of sub grade reaction
– ultimate vertical and horizontal bearing capacity
– neutral horizontal soil load
– vertical displacement
– maximum axial friction
– friction displacement.
D-Geo Pipeline interacts with other tools:
- D-Settlement for analyses and import of settled geometry
- D-Geo Stability for slope stability analysis
- Scia Pipeline for advanced structural analysis of pipeline behaviour.
How to get D-Geo Pipeline?
Service Packages
The current version is available by purchasing a Service package. You can order a Service package via our Sales Service team (software@deltares.nl)
The software can be downloaded via our Download portal. You don’t need a license file to do this. You can use the software in Demo mode without a license file. By purchasing a Service package you will receive a license file to unlock full functionality (according to purchased package). Our Sales Service team will provide you with instructions on how to get the software working with a license file.
Online Software
You can also use our Geotechnical software products via the internet (Software as a Service – SaaS), on subscription basis. For more information, please see Online Geotechnical Software.
Modules
D-Geo Pipeline -Horizontal Directional Drilling
D-Geo Pipeline enables the fast design of a pipeline configuration, installed using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technique. In HDD three installation stages are considered: Pilot drilling; reaming the initial pilot borehole and pulling back the pipeline. The initial borehole is...
D-Geo Pipeline – Micro Tunnelling
Micro tunnelling is the technique which uses a tunnelling machine to remove the soil. Micro tunnelling usually starts horizontal at a certain level below the surface. Start and reception shafts are created for the micro tunnelling machine. In the start...
D-Geo Pipeline – Trench
The majority of the underground pipelines are installed in a trench. After excavation of the trench, the pipeline is installed at the bottom of the trench and subsequently covered by the excavated soil. The interaction between the pipe and the...
D-Geo Pipeline – Direct Pipe
The Direct Pipe module of D-Geo Pipeline supports the use of the Direct Pipe method with the installation of pipelines. Pipe thruster and MTBM of pipe installation using Direct Pipe method (source: Herrenknecht AG) Direct Pipe is a pipeline installation method that...
Demo / images
Service packages
D-Geo Pipeline is available in the following packages:
Full
- Horizontal Directional Drilling
- Micro Tunneling
- Trench
- Direct Pipe
Educational package
The Educational package is the same as the Full package, but available at a reduced price.
Please contact our Sales Service team for more information.
License packages
Support
We are here to help you with all your Deltares software products and solutions.
Over the last decades, Deltares has been developing and improving D-Geo Pipeline, which comes with everything a modelling professional needs in a flexible, stable, robust, easy-to-use modelling suite. Deltares offers high quality software services to consultancy firms, governmental organizations, universities and research institutes worldwide, using these software products.
To obtain the support of your convenience, please contact software@deltares.nl. For those with Maintenance & Support in place, please contact software.support@deltares.nl (+ 31 (0)88 335 8100).
Known issues
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Solved in 22.2Access violation when vertical is near the entry-or exit point
When a vertical is placed close to the entry or exit point, the top of the pipeline may be above ground level. This is not allowed and a message about an ‘access violation’ will be displayed during the calculation.
The verticals where the pipeline is fully below ground level will be calculated and displayed correctly in the report.
Workaround: By removing the relevant vertical in the Calculation Verticals screen (under GeoObjects) the ‘access violation’ does not occur.
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Solved in 18.2.2For Micro tunnelling and HDD models, the determination of the modulus of subgrade reaction and horizontal bearing capacity can lead to unrealistic high values
o Issue 1 (Micro tunnelling and HDD models) For the determination of the modulus of subgrade reaction and horizontal bearing capacity, a distinction is made between shallow and deep situation. The boundary depends on the value of the passive stress: if the maximum passive stress is reached, the pipe is considered as deep. However it seems that this criterion is not always relevant and that a deep pipe can be considered as shallow pipe, which leads to unrealistic high values for the modulus of subgrade reaction.
o Issue 2 (HDD) As a consequence of problem 1, the maximum value of the modulus of subgrade reaction used during the Stress Analysis is too high and leads therefore to unrealistic values of the pulling forces.
As a workaround for these issues, please use the previous release, 16.1, or wait for version 18.2.2.
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Solved in 18.2.2Some contingency factors are not applied during the calculation of the pulling forces
For the calculation of the pulling forces, the contingency factors on borehole radius and on modulus of subgrade reaction are not included leading to under-estimated values.
As a workaround for these issues, please use the previous release, 16.1, or wait for version 18.2.2.
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Solved in 18.2.1The overall factor on bending moment (f_k) is not correctly calculated
For the calculation of the axial bending stress Sigma_b (Strength calculation), an incorrect formula is used for the overall factor f_k:The correct formula isf_k = f_M * f_install * f_Rbut the program usesf_k = f_M * f_install / f_Rwhere:f_M is the contingency factor on the bending moment
f_install is the load factor on installation
f_R is the contingency factor on the bending radius
Frequently asked questions
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Where can I find the Release Notes?
The Release Notes can be found here.
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What is the meaning of the 'boundary undrained/drained'?
The boundary separates drained reacting soil (below the boundary) and undrained reacting soil (above the boundary) when loaded by pressure from the drilling fluid. This is important for the calculation of the mud pressures.
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What is the meaning of the 'boundary compressible/uncompressible?
The boundary separates compressible soil (above the boundary) and incompressible soil (below the boundary). This is important for the calculation of the reduced soil loading and therefore for the strength calculation.
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Where should I place the 'boundary compressible/uncompressible' when I have an intermediate sand layer present in the compressible layer group?
When an intermediate sand layer is present, e.g. a Pleistocene sand base with an intermediate sand layer in the compressible stack above and the pipe is below this intermediate layer, it is preferred to lay the boundary on the Pleistocene sand and define a fictive Su for the intermediate sand layer.
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How should the directions ‘left to right' and 'right to left' be interpreted in the mud plots?
The mud plots indicate the course of the minimum required mud pressures for both possible operating directions in the relevant drilling phase.
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How do the mud pressures develop during the 3 different phases of the drilling?
A certain minimum mud pressure is necessary in a borehole. This minimum required pressure at the bore front is determined by two factors:
The difference in height between the bore front and the exit point of the return flow of bore liquid to the surface.
The minimum pressure required to move the bore liquid (including soil that was drilled free) in the borehole over a certain distance.
During the pilot drilling, the drilling mud can only flow back to the surface through the borehole that was just drilled. The pilot drilling is therefore the normative phase in the drilling process. During the pre-reaming, reaming and pull back operation, the drilling mud can flow towards both sides (entrance and exit point, which are the RIG and pipe sides). The drilling mud chooses the path of least resistance. During the pre-reaming and the reaming and pull back operation, the direction of flow of the return flow reverses. In practice, this amounts to a return flow at the start of the phase in the direction of the exit point. At the end of the pre-reaming or pull back stage, the direction of the return flow is towards the entrance point. The location of this transition point depends on the geometry, borehole and pipe diameters of the relevant and preceding phase and the characteristics of the drilling mud. -
Is the pipe filled on the roller conveyor during pull back?
The calculation in D-Geo Pipeline is based on a filled pipe (also on the roller conveyor); When the pipe on the roller conveyor is not filled, the tensile forces in the first part of the drilling will be lower than those calculated. The calculated tensile force at the end of the pull back operation remains the same because here the pipe is no longer on the roller conveyor.
N.B. The tensile force at the start of the pull back operation of a filled pipe (but not filled on the roller conveyor) is equal to the tensile force at the start of the pull back operation of an unfilled pipe.
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Why do I have problems reading DXF exported files in AutoCad?
The option to export pictures in DXF format was developed for, and tested with, AutoCad 14. In more recent releases of AutoCad something has changed in relation to the import of DXF files. This means that these versions do not read our DXF files properly (detected by us in versions 2005 and 2006). Most viewers, for instance “Bentley view”, do not experience problems with our exported DXF files.
Technical specifications
- Operating systems:
- Windows 10
- Windows 11 21H2
- Hardware specifications:
- 1 GHz Intel Pentium processor or equivalent
- 512 MB of RAM
- 400 MB free hard disk space
- SVGA video card, 1024 x 768 pixels, High colors (16 bits)
Release Notes
| Version 22.2 (2022-08-22) |
Download overview Release Notes 22.2
| Version 20.1.2.3 (2020-07-09) |
Download overview Release Notes 20.1.2.3
| Version 20.1.1.3 (2020-07-09) |
Download overview Release Notes 20.1.1.3
| Version 19.3.1 (2019-12-05) |
Download overview Release Notes 19.3.1
| Version 18.3.1.2 (2018-11-19) |
Download overview Release Notes 18.3.1.2
| Version 18.2.2.2 (2018-06-11) |
Download overview Release Notes 18.2.2.2