“…As one of the main long-transport modes of oil and gas, pipes are normally buried underground due to their larger volume, less influence of weather, simpler operation, and less leakage [ [1] , [2] , [3] ]. Bolted flange connection (BFC) and welding connection are the two extensively used modes to connect long-distance transport pipes [ 4 , 5 ]. Many previous studies have presented that BFC can effectively improve the sealing performance and reduce the leakage rate of pipes [ 6 , 7 ].…”