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<br />pipehne easement crossings will be applied to the existing ground surface or if topsoil will be <br />stripped prior to installation of the road embankment. Since topsoil in this location is as much <br />as 2Yz feet thick, its presence or absence in the haul road cross section would have a significant <br />effect on the external load applied to the pipeline. <br />Strain gauges can be used to monitor the pipeline and provide early wazning of stress accumulation <br />allowing for mitigation prior to pipeline rupture. An article on the use of strain gauges is attached to <br />this memorandum. If the applicant agrees to install the strain gauges and is able to gain the <br />cooperation of the pipeline operator, then an installation plan (number and location of strain gauge <br />emplacements), a monitoring and reporting plan, and a threshold criteria for mitigative action must <br />be developed and submitted for Division review and approval. It is the Division's understanding <br />that a single strain gauge emplacement is adequate to monitor approximately 200 linear feet of <br />pipeline (Mike Bukovansky, personal communication). Threshold criteria for mitigation can be <br />developed by considering that maxitnum allowable stresses in the pipeline should not exceed 50 <br />percent of the pipeline steel specified minimum yield strength. If the pipeline operator refuses to <br />cooperate in the installation and monitoring of strain gauges, then the applicant could put together a <br />proposal to monitor the pipeline easement through the use of inclinometers, extensometers, or <br />similar devices. <br />Attachment(s) <br />3 <br />