The effect of functional loads on free spanning pipeline's VIV response

During the operation and installation of offshore pipelines, high axial forces and pressures are experienced, and their effects cannot be neglected. In this article, the effect of internal flow velocity and functional loads on vortex-induced vibration （VIV） response is investigated. On the basis of the Hamilton principle, a differential equation was derived to describe the motion of a pinned-pinned tensioned spanning pipeline conveying fluid. The VIV response was calculated according to DNV-RP-F105 under different functional loads. The results showed that functional loads influence free spanning pipeline VIV response by changing the natural frequency. Internal flow velocity was found less important for VIV response than other functional load factors, such as effective axial force, because the speed in reality is not high enough to be significant. The research may provide a reference for sensitivity studies of the effect of functional loads on allowable free span lengths.

Experimental Study on Free Spanning Submarine Pipeline Under Dynamic Excitation

Seismic load has a significant effect on the response of a free spanning submarine pipeline when the pipeline is constructed in a seismically active region. The model experiment is performed on an underwater shaking table to simulate the response of submarine pipelines under dynamic input. In consideration of the effects of the terrestrial and submarine pipeline, water depth, support condition, distance from seabed, empty and full pipeline, and span on dynamic response, 120 groups of experiments are conducted. Affecting factors are analyzed and conclusions are drawn for reference. For the control of dynamic response, the span of a submarine pipeline is by far more important than the other factors. Meanwhile, the rosponse difference between a submarine pipeline under sine excitation and that under random excitation exists in experiments.

Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of Submarine Free Spanning Pipelines by Complex Damping Method

Considering the effect of the internal flowing fluid and the external marine environmental condition, the differential equation for the vortex induced vibration (VIV) of the free spanning pipeline is derived and is discretized by the Hermit interpolation function. The free vibration equation with the damping term is solved by the complex damping method for the natural frequency, and then the effect of fluid damping on the natural frequency of the free spanning pipeline is analyzed. The results show that fluid damping has a significant influence on the damped natural frequency of the free spanning pipeline in the lock in state, while it has little influence when the pipeline is out of the lock in state. In the meantime, the change of the free span length has the same effect on the damped natural frequency and the undamped natural frequency.

Research on Fatigue Invalidation of A Submarine Pipeline Span Subjected to Waves and Currents

Considering both the axial force on the spanning pipeline and influence of sea waves and currents, a perpendicular nonlinear vibration equation which satisfies given boundary conditions is .set up according to the factual soil supports for the pipeline. Based on the inherent modes of vibration determined from the equation of motion describing free vibrations, the differential equations for the time domain of the equation solution are deduced and established. By the application of time and frequency domain analysis, the sea wave and current force spectrum is derived from wave spectrum and is used as the input spectrum of the vibration equation to deduce the output spectrum, and further determine the probability distribution of displacement and strain. On this basis, the fatigue invalidation probability of the spanning pipeline is found out according to the theory of reliability. Finally, by means of calculation and analysis of a practical sample, the degree of effect of some important parameters on fatigue invalidation of the spanning pipeline span is determined.

Study on Model Tests and Hydrodynamic Force Models for Free Spanning Submarine Pipelines Subjected to Earthquakes

A test rig is built to model the dynamic response of submarine pipelines with an underwater shaking table in the State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, China. Model tests are carried out to consider the effects of exciting wave directions and types. Based on the experimental results, two hydrodynamic force models derived from Morisen equation and Wake model are presented respectively. By use of hydrodynamic force models suitable for free spanning submarine pipelines under earthquakes, diseretized equations of motion are obtained and finite element models are established to analyze dynamic response of free spanning submarine pipeline subjected to multi-support seismic excitations. The comparison of numerical results with experimental results shows that the improved Morison and Wake hydrodynamic force models could satisfactorily predict dynamic response on the free spanning submarine pipelines subjected to earthquakes.

Study on Pure IL VIV of A Free Spanning Pipeline Under General Boundary Conditions

Pipeline spans may occur due to natural seabed irregularities or local scour of bed sediment. The pure in-line（IL）vortex-induced vibrations（VIV） analysis of the free spans is an important subject for design of pipeline in uneven seabed. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of pure IL VIV of a free spanning pipeline under general boundary conditions. An IL wake oscillator model which can describe the coupling of pipeline structure and fluctuating drag is introduced and employed. The coupled partial differential equations of structure and wake are transformed into a set of ordinary differential equations using two-mode Galerkin method. Some case studies are presented and thoroughly discussed in order to investigate the effects of internal fluid, axial force and boundary conditions on the pure IL VIV.

FLOW-PIPE-SEEPAGE COUPLING ANALYSIS OF SPANNING INITIATION OF A PARTIALLY-EMBEDDED PIPELINE

The initiation of pipeline spanning involves the coupling between the flow over the pipeline and the seepage-flow in the soil underneath the pipeline.The pipeline spanning initiation is experimentally observed and discussed in this article.It is qualitatively indicated that the pressure-drop induced soil seepage failure is the predominant cause for pipeline spanning initiation.A flow-pipe-seepage sequential coupling Finite Element Method（FEM） model is proposed to simulate the coupling between the water flow-field and the soil seepage-field.A critical hydraulic gradient is obtained for oblique seepage failure of the sand in the direction tangent to the pipe.Parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of inflow velocity,pipe embedment on the pressure-drop,and the effects of soil internal friction angle and pipe embedment-to-diameter ratio on the critical flow velocity for pipeline spanning initiation.It is indicated that the dimensionless critical flow velocity changes approximately linearly with the soil internal friction angle for the submarine pipeline partially-embedded in a sandy seabed.

Mode Transitions in Vortex-induced Vibrations of a Flexible Pipe near Plane Boundary

A pipe model with a mass ratio（mass/displaced mass） of 4.30 was tested to investigate the vortex-induced vibrations of submarine pipeline spans near the seabed.The pipe model was designed as a bending stiffness-dominated beam.The gap ratios（gap to diameter ratio） at the pipe ends were 4.0,6.0,and 8.0.The flow velocity was systematically varied in the 0-16.71 nondimensional velocity range based on the first natural frequency.The mode transition between the first and the second mode as the flow velocity increases was investigated.At various transition flow velocities,the research indicates that the peak frequencies with respect to displacement are not identical along the pipe,nor the frequencies associated with the peak of the amplitude spectra for the first four modes as well.The mode transition is associated with a continuous change in the amplitude,but there＇s a jump in frequency,and a gradual process along the pipe length.

Identification of Hydrodynamic Forces on a Flexible Pipe Near Plane Boundary Subjected to Vortex-Induced Vibrations

Formally,use of system identification techniques to estimate the forces acting on the beam may give information on hydrodynamic forces due to vortex-induced vibrations(VIVs),but no results from such attempts for submarine pipeline spans have been reported.In this study,a pipe model with a mass ratio(mass/displaced mass) of 2.62 is tested in a current tank.The gap ratios(gap to pipe diameter ratio) at the pipe ends are 2.0,4.0, 6.0 and 8.0.The response of the model is measured using optical fiber strain gauges.A modal approach linked to a finite element method is used to estimate the hydrodynamic forces from measurement.The hydrodynamic force at the dominant response frequency is the major concern,and the lift force and added mass coefficients are calculated.Response calculations are performed using force coefficients from the inverse force analysis and the calculated results are in accordance with the experimental data.