Abstract: In this paper, an improved scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is used to solve the dynamic response of rigid buried pipe in multi-layered soil combined with finite element method. A new coordinate transformation relation is introduced into the improved SBFEM, with a similar line instead of the similar center in traditional SBFEM. Then the dynamic stiffness matrix equation can be obtained by using weighted residual method for multi-layered soil. Finally, the dynamic stiffness matrix is coupled with finite element method at the boundary between the near field and far field to solve the dynamic response for rigid buried pipe in multi-layered soil. The comparison with an existing solution validates the accuracy of the proposed method. And the influence of heterogeneity characteristic of layered soil, Poisson’s ratio and buried depth on the dynamic response of the buried pipe is further investigated through a parametric analysis which provides the necessary numerical basis for the engineering practice. As the results show, the heterogeneity characteristic of layered soil and Poisson’s ratio have significant influence on the dynamic response of the buried pipeline. With the increase of the buried depth, the dynamic response of the pipeline under the same load decreases.

Key words: scaled boundary finite element method, multi-layered soil, weighted residual method, dynamic stiffness, buried pipe