Introduction to Buried Utility Pipeline Engineering (Part 1)

  • Author: Technical Toolboxes
  • Level: Beginner
  • Study time: 1 hour
This utility-focused, self-paced course introduces the fundamentals of buried pipeline engineering for municipal water, wastewater, gas, and other utility systems. Part 1 establishes the groundwork for understanding how buried pipelines are planned, designed, and evaluated in real-world utility environments.

Learners explore common utility pipe materials such as ductile iron, HDPE, and PVC, along with the key factors that influence material selection, safety, and long-term performance. The course also introduces essential hydraulic and structural design concepts, including soil-pipe interaction, loading conditions, and subsurface considerations that impact reliability and service life.

Designed for utility engineers and technical professionals, this course serves as the first step in a three-part series.
  • Video time: 1 hour
  • Exams: 1

David Willoughby

Content SME for Horizontal Directional Drilling
ABOUT David
Mr. Willoughby has 40 years of experience in engineering, pipeline design, corrosion control, and management in the petroleum and utilities pipeline industry. His experience includes gas transmission and distribution systems, petroleum facilities, and water/sewer pipelines from conception through design, construction and testing, economic evaluation, and project field supervision.
Mr. Willoughby has been responsible for the design, permitting, inspection, and construction administration of numerous horizontal directional drills (HDD) on pipeline projects.
He is the author of several articles and two books published by McGraw-Hill, The Plastic Piping Handbook (2002) and Horizontal Directional Drilling (2005).
Mr. Willoughby provides HDD training to the pipeline and utility industries. He has presented at the engineering workshop at N.C. Utilities Commission Office of the Pipeline Safety Conference and the Southern Gas Association Annual Conference.
Mr. Willoughby’s HDD training is used to provide Professional Development Hours (PDU) for professional engineers in many states, including Texas.