Pipelines exposed to high temperature and high pressure with a topographic step
imperfection are susceptible to the phenomenon of upheaval buckling potentially leading to
a hazard for the structural integrity of the pipeline. To analyse this problem we derive
analytical upheaval buckling solutions and obtain the locations of maximum displacement
and maximum axial compressive stress. We also analyse the typical post-buckling
behaviour and its dependence on step height, axial soil resistance and wall thickness. The …