kjn, excellent information! I would add that for pipelines with moderate temperature differential, typical of gas or oil gathering lines, the simple approach using the ASCE Guideline and a geotech report is "good enough". We can run a lower and upper bound analysis to ensure we are conservative with a simplified approach.

For other pipelines, we not only would use a more comprehensive model of the soil properties but also be concerned with non-linear geometry and non-linear pipeline material curves and use either a general FEA program or that program developed specifically for pipelines. I have collegues that specialize in that type of analysis and have learned it's a whole different field of engineering.