Experimental Investigation of Pipe–Soil Interaction in Slopes Using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)

The behavior of buried pipes constructed on slopes is of great importance for the safety and sustainability of infrastructure systems. Slope movements, landslides, and soil displacements can significantly affect pipe–soil interaction, creating additional stresses on the pipes. Therefore, accurately determining the behavior of pipes under slope conditions is essential for improving engineering designs and preventing potential damage. In recent years, advanced experimental methods have been widely used in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering studies to determine deformation and displacement fields. In this study, the behavior of buried pipes in reinforced and unreinforced sloping soils was experimentally investigated. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), an advanced image-based technique, was used to analyze soil deformation and displacement fields based on the images obtained during the model experiments. The results indicate that geogrid reinforcement has a significant effect on the behavior of the buried pipe and the deformation patterns of the soil. The study is primarily intended as a mechanism-oriented experimental investigation rather than an extensive parametric optimization study. Through PIV-based full-field displacement analyses, the evolution of deformation zones and failure surfaces around the buried pipe was evaluated in detail.