Local　buckling　of　pipeline　walls　is　a　common　failure　mode　for　buried　pipelines　crossing　reverse　faults.　The　damage　evolution　of　pipelines　from　initial　buckling　to　severe　failure　under　reverse　fault　displacement　is　closely　related　to　soil　properties,　fault　mechanism,　and　pipeline　geometry.　The　performance-based　design　methodology　proposed　by　the　Pacific　Earthquake　Engineering　Research　Center　has　become　well-recognized　worldwide.　However,　current　safety-based　design　codes　for　buried　steel　pipelines　generally　provide　operable　limits　corresponding　to　the　initiation　of　local　buckling　of　the　pipeline　walls,　and　cannot　be　used　to　effectively　assess　the　damage　states　and　performance　levels　of　pipelines.　To　address　the　local　buckling　of　pipeline　walls　under　fault　displacement,　a　performance　criterion　is　proposed　based　on　the　critical　compressive　strain　and　the　change　rate　of　pipeline　compressive　strain.　Three　performance　levels　corresponding　to　pipeline　wall　local　buckling　are　identified,　namely,　buckling　initiation,　buckling　development,　and　buckling　failure.　Moreover,　the　ductility　coefficient　that　characterizes　the　nonlinear　behavior　of　the　pipeline　wall　prior　to　buckling　failure　is　proposed　in　this　study　to　quantify　the　damage　state　threshold　values.　Three-dimensional　finite　element　models　of　the　large-diameter　pipeline　crossing　a　reverse　fault　are　developed　and　validated　against　the　existing　experiment　study.　Parametric　analysis　is　performed　to　comprehensively　assess　the　effects　of　pipeline　burial　depth,　fault　mechanism,　and　pipeline　geometry　on　the　performance　of　the　buried　steel　pipeline　under　reverse　fault　displacement.　Finally,　the　empirical　equation　for　critical　displacements　between　performance　levels　under　different　conditions　is　developed.　The　numerical　results　indicate　that　as　the　diameter-to-thickness　ratio　and　burial　depth　of　the　pipeline　increase,　the　structure　ductility　of　the　pipeline　wall　prior　to　buckling　failure　decreases.　The　structural　ductility　of　the　pipeline　wall　increases　by　94.7　%　as　the　fault　dip　angle　increases　from　30°　to　90°.　Moreover,　the　structural　ductility　increases　when　the　internal　pressure　increases　from　0　MPa　to　6　MPa,　but　decreases　as　the　internal　pressure　changes　further　from　6　MPa　to　12　MPa.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd