Enhanced Multi-Layer Fatigue-Analysis Approach for Unbonded Flexible Risers

This paper proposes an enhanced approach for evaluating the fatigue life of each metallic layer of unbonded flexible risers. Owing to the complex structure of unbonded flexible risers and the nonlinearity of the system, particularly in the critical touchdown zone, the traditional method is insufficient for accurately evaluating the fatigue life of these risers. The main challenge lies in the transposition from global to local analyses, which is a key stage for the fatigue analysis of flexible pipes owing to their complex structure. The new enhanced approach derives a multi-layer stress-decomposition method to meet this challenge. In this study, a numerical model validated experimentally is used to demonstrate the accuracy of the stress-decomposition method. And a numerical case is studied to validate the proposed approach. The results demonstrate that the multi-layer stress-decomposition method is accurate, and the fatigue lives of the metallic layers predicted by the enhanced multi-layer analysis approach are rational. The proposed fatigue-analysis approach provides a practical and reasonable method for predicting fatigue life in the design of unbonded flexible risers.

Coupled Element Modeling Scheme for the Global Dynamic Analysis of Unbonded Flexible Risers

A coupled element modeling method is proposed for global dynamic analyses of unbonded flexible risers.Owing to the multi-layer structure of unbonded flexible risers, the global-dynamic-analysis method applied to the steel rigid risers is insufficient for flexible risers. The main challenges lie in the enormous difference between the anti-tension and anti-binding capacity of unbonded flexible risers which results in serious ill-conditional calculation in global dynamic analysis. In order to solve this problem, the coupled element modeling approach was proposed in this study. A time domain fatigue analysis was applied to illustrate the necessity of the proposed approach.A dynamic benchmark case is used to demonstrate the accuracy of the coupled element method respectively.Subsequently the validated coupling element method is employed to conduct the global dynamic analyses for a free hanging flexible riser. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach can give the accurate global dynamic response under the guidance of the fatigue failure mode for unbonded flexible riser. The parametric influence analyses also provide a practical and effective way for predicting the global dynamic response.

基于LAGRANGE方程的深水钻井隔水管–水下井口系统动力分析

为了探究大质量、大刚度防喷器组(blowout preventers,BOPs)对深水钻井隔水管系统动态相应预测精度的影响,根据细长钻井隔水管与刚性防喷器组的结构特点,提出两者刚柔耦合的概念,采用能量法推导隔水管–防喷器组–水下井口系统的动能和势能,采用LAGRANGE方法建立耦合系统动力学理论模型,采用科学计算软件和Newmark-β直接积分法对动力学模型进行数值计算。以南海某深水钻井隔水管为例,开展基于耦合动力学模型的隔水管系统动态响应分析。结果表明,采用本文理论模型得到的隔水管不同位置的节点位移、单元弯矩、上部和下部挠性接头转角时程曲线、整体侧向位移包络线和弯矩包络线等与ABAQUS仿真结果均吻合良好,最大误差为8.8%。此方法可为深水钻井隔水管和水下井口系统动态分析提供参考。