Bumpers photo from http://fogarty.org/tim/images/steve-pipeline.jpg   The Trans-Alaska Pipeline design includes rubber “bumpers” to protect oil pipe punctures during earthquakes. Bumpers are made of high-grade rubber and work much like bumpers on a car during a collision. Picture: http://www.ryanautomall.com/fender_bender.gif Bumpers are installed at every elevated support system along the pipeline. There are 39,000 bumpers total. Bumpers are designed to prevent pipe wrinkling or denting when it slides into a vertical support beam during an earthquake.   Click on Arrow to Return to Structural Component Diagram Home .Introduction Structural Components Pipeline Problems  Bibliography