Abstract:In this study, a typical buried PE pipe model test under the action of stacking load was carried out by means of an independently designed pipeline test system. The results show that the accumulation load has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the pipeline. The peak of the strain around the pipe appears below the load and decreases towards both ends of the pipe. The strains on the cross section of the pipeline develops symmetrically under vertical stress. The strain of the pipeline is non-linear, and it goes through two stages of slow and fast growth, with the increase rates of 40% and 76.3%, respectively. The interaction between the pipeline and soils results in different stress states in the same axial direction while the pipeline generally shows axial stretching. Simultaneously, the elastic recovery of the pipeline is inhibited under the pipe-soil interaction, and the pipeline presents a beam-type bending and a flex-like shape. Additionally, both ends of the pipeline are constrained and the soil resistance produces a small degree of reverse displacement. The overlying soil sinks or rises with the deformation of the pipeline, and the additional accumulation load gradually diffuses to the deep layer and dissipates.