<![CDATA[The structural integrity of buried gas pipelines at road crossings is critically affected by external vehicular loads, particularly under shallow burial conditions. Existing studies predominantly rely on single analytical approaches, which may not adequately capture the complex soil pipe interaction and load transfer mechanisms. This study addresses this gap by proposing a comparative multi method framework to determine the minimum safe burial depth of pipelines. A 12 inch gas pipeline is evaluated using three complementary approaches, API RP 1102, CEPA analytical method, and three dimensional Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The analysis integrates realistic operational parameters, soil properties, and heavy vehicular loads up to 50 tons, with structural performance assessed against ASME B31.8 allowable stress criteria. Results reveal a consistent attenuation of stress with increasing burial depth across all methods. The CEPA method provides conservative predictions, indicating a maximum stress ratio of 69.9% SMYS at 0.7 m, while FEA captures more realistic stress redistribution, yielding lower stress ratios (59.55%). Notably, depths below 0.7 m exhibit significantly higher stress levels, approaching critical limits, particularly under combined loading scenarios. This study establishes 0.7 m as the minimum safe burial depth, validated through multi method agreement. Furthermore, it demonstrates that integrating analytical and numerical approaches enhances reliability in pipeline design. For shallow installations, structural protection systems are essential to mitigate load induced stress and vibration.]]>
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