Objective Long-distance oil and gas pipelines experience multi-field coupling loads throughout their lifecycle—including manufacturing, construction, operation, and maintenance—which can cause localized stress concentrations and threaten structural integrity. However, current monitoring technologies often lack comprehensive lifecycle coverage, effective system integration, and robust engineering adaptability, making continuous and efficient strain monitoring difficult. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a highly reliable strain monitoring system with excellent engineering applicability that covers the entire pipeline lifecycle, enabling comprehensive visual perception, intelligent management of strain behavior, and enhanced pipeline safety and maintainability.
Methods An integrated strain monitoring system, comprising a flexible ultra-thin strain sensor, data acquisition device, data processing platform, and visualization terminal, was designed and constructed. A flexible ultra-thin sensor, capable of simultaneously measuring axial and circumferential strains as well as temperature changes, was developed using a flexible FPC substrate and could be installed in both embedded and externally attached modes. A data acquisition device, incorporating a radio-frequency identification module, multi-level electromagnetic protection, and dual-mode transmission (“local caching + remote transmission”), was developed to ensure efficient integration with the sensor. A cloud-based data processing platform was established to support remote storage and real-time analysis, while data visualization, automated report generation, and remote collaborative management were achieved through the terminal module. The system was applied to the on-site hot-tapping and pipe-replacement project of the Sino-Myanmar Pipeline, where two monitoring sections and eight measuring points were set up, high-frequency data acquisition at 5 Hz was adopted, and the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor was used as the reference for comparative verification.
Results On-site application demonstrated that: (1) the system was easily deployed, with continuous, loss-free data confirming its stability and reliability under complex geological conditions and intense construction disturbances; (2) the sensor exhibited high measurement accuracy, with axial strain relative error of only 3.0％ compared to fiber-optic sensor results; (3) the system successfully captured dynamic responses throughout the process, including stress release during cutting, thermal expansion during welding heating, and residual strain during cooling.
Conclusion The system achieves efficient synergy among the sensor, acquisition device, processing platform, and terminal, overcoming existing limitations in full-lifecycle coverage and engineering adaptability. Reliable data support and technical means are provided for the structural safety assessment of long-distance pipelines. Future research will focus on advancing the integrated application of multi-source data fusion and digital twin technology in pipeline strain monitoring to promote intelligent pipeline safety management.
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