海底管道整体式止屈器性能研究与穿越压力预测

整体式止屈器可有效抑制海底管道屈曲传播并避免管道的大规模屈曲失效。为探究整体式止屈器的止屈特性,预测其穿越压力,利用ABAQUS软件建立有限元模型,分析了整体式止屈器厚度、长度、径厚比等参数对穿越压力和穿越形式的影响机制,揭示了整体式止屈器的止屈特性。研究结果表明:在平行穿越阶段,增加止屈器厚度、有效长度可明显提升穿越压力;而在垂直穿越阶段,穿越压力增长速率明显放缓。结合有限元模拟结果,拟合得到了整体式止屈器在不同穿越形式下的穿越压力预测公式,其相较于已有经验公式准确性更高,对整体式止屈器的设计和建造具有重要的指导意义。     

整体式止屈器数值模拟方法与优化研究

海底管道是海洋石油主要的运输方式,但海底管道在外部静水压力作用下很可能发生局部屈曲压溃,造成灾难性后果。安装止屈器可有效阻止屈曲传播,保证管道安全,整体式止屈器在实际中应用最为广泛。整体式止屈器存在通过减小止屈器体积以节约成本进行优化的可能性,因此,在保证止屈器止屈效果的前提下,可通过减小止屈器的体积,以达到减轻重量、节约成本、减少安装难度等多种目的。研究过程中使用ABAQUS进行模型的仿真模拟,比较了广义弧长法的优缺点,决定选用更方便的静水流体单元法,计算得到不同止屈器的穿越压力以及相应的体积,对比各止屈器的穿越压力变化和体积变化,实现结构优化的目标。基于以上研究,可以得出减少止屈器体积的结构优化方案具有可行性的结论。     

Patran与Abaqus技术在海底管道屈曲分析中的应用研究

针对海底管道屈曲稳定性问题,应用Patran二次开发技术,提出海底管道屈曲分析的参数化自动建模方法,其中核心问题为在Patran中直接建立楔形体单元组成止屈器几何形状以及管道表面skin单元的创建等,生成Abaqus可识别的数据文件。通过算例分析,将计算结果与全尺寸试验和DNV-OS-F101规范进行对比,验证了方法的可靠性。     

深水海底管道屈曲传播试验设计

针对深水海底管道屈曲传播的研究需要,文中结合国外的相关研究成果,以天津大学现有深海压力舱试验装置为基础,并以DNV规范和ANSYS有限元数值模拟计算结果为依据,设计了深水海底管道屈曲传播试验方案.该试验方案选取径厚比在25～30范围内的小直径管件进行试验,为管道屈曲传播理论研究提供指导,并可作为深水管道止屈器试验设计的...     

双整体式止屈器结构性能研究及优化设计

建立了双整体式止屈器结构的三维有限元模型,模拟其在外部静水压力作用下的屈曲穿越过程,总结不同穿越破坏模式的产生条件及机理。对影响穿越破坏压力的主要参数进行敏感性分析,结果表明止屈器布置间距、两个止屈器的几何尺寸均会对整体止屈性能产生影响。在拟合的双整体式止屈器效率公式的基础上,依据非线性有约束优化理论,分别采用经典算法和智能遗传算法确定模型最优解,提出了一种兼顾结构重量与止屈性能的最优双整体式止屈器结构型式;并经计算分析,验证了该方法的可靠性和适应性。     

考虑初始嵌入深度变异性的海底管道整体侧向屈曲分析

海底管道是海洋油气工程的重要组成部分,在高温高压运行状态下易发生整体屈曲,开裂破坏后造成油气泄露。海床土体对管道的侧向抗力是影响其屈曲的关键因素,而管道侧向抗力发挥与初始嵌入深度密切相关。构建了海底管道整体屈曲数值模型,对初始嵌入深度等因素进行不确定性分析,揭示了初始嵌入深度变异性对管道屈曲的影响机制。研究发现：当初始嵌入深度越大、初始缺陷越小时,管道临界屈曲轴力越大,屈曲位移越小;管道嵌入深度变异性的存在会导致管道更易屈曲,并诱发不对称的三阶屈曲或更高阶屈曲;管道嵌入深度在空间上的变异性对屈曲发生概率P（p＜pdet）存在影响,而相关性的改变对管道屈曲影响较小;管道存在屈曲模式转变界限升温,当屈曲升温大于界限升温时,管道发生跳跃型屈曲,反之则发生分岔型屈曲。     

含初始缺陷海底管道侧向屈曲临界力的参数解

未埋设的海底管道在高温高压运行条件下可能发生侧向屈曲,情况严重时影响海底管道的结构安全。侧向屈曲临界力作为判定海底管道发生侧向屈曲的重要依据,主要影响因素有初始缺陷、管土相互作用等。现有关于侧向屈曲临界力的公式并未考虑管土相互作用、缺陷不平直度和管道自身材料特性对侧向屈曲临界力的综合影响。建立含有通用几何初始缺陷海底管道的数值模型,使用Riks算法进行参数分析以研究极限侧向土壤阻力、管道缺陷不平直度和截面几何尺寸对海底管道侧向屈曲的具体影响。基于量纲分析法和多元线性回归,推导出海底管道侧向屈曲临界力关于上述3个影响参数的一般公式,并对该公式进行了检验,结果表明文中推导的公式在参数涵盖的研究范围内有效。     

不同径厚比的海底管道压溃屈曲研究

为了探索不同径厚比海底管道的压溃屈曲特性,本文分别采用挪威船级社（Det Norske Veritas,DNV）规范、有限元模拟和深海压力舱模型试验,研究不同径厚比海底管道承载外部水压的能力,并就DNV规范压溃屈曲计算公式对不同径厚比管道的适用性进行了讨论,优化了小径厚比海底管道压溃屈曲的设计方法。研究表明：小径厚比管道的压溃屈曲临界压力对管道径厚比的变化更敏感;DNV规范计算小径厚比管道的压溃屈曲临界压力偏小,在进行深海管道的压溃屈曲设计时,建议采用模型试验结合有限元模拟的方法,计算管道实际可提供的压溃屈曲承载力。     

海底埋设高温管道隆起屈曲数值模拟研究

高温是引发海底管道整体屈曲失效的主要因素,而海床上存在的局部隆起使得高温埋设管道更加容易发生隆起屈曲。这里重点研究海底埋设高温管道发生隆起屈曲的临界温度载荷及其影响因素,提出了一种简化的数值模拟分析模型,同已有的相关实验结果比较表明,本方法可以较好地近似计算高温管道的隆起屈曲。基于本方法开展的参数分析,得到了管道覆土高度、混凝土配重层厚度、海床不平整对海底高温管道发生隆起屈曲的影响趋势。     

海底埋设双层管管道隆起屈曲分析

海底埋设双层管管道隆起屈曲分析是海洋管道设计的重要技术之一。在管道隆起屈曲分析中实现管土作用和内外管相互作用的准确模拟一直是工程应用追求的目标,也是其中的难点。利用管土作用单元和管中管单元等技术,建立了海底埋设双层管管道隆起屈曲分析有限元模型。该模型不但考虑了管道初始形状、压力、温差载荷、管道材料非线性等常规因素,还考虑了非线性管土作用和内外管相互接触作用,并能对管道屈曲前和屈曲后全程进行模拟。应用该模型,计算了一条高温高压埋设双层管管道隆起屈曲过程中的应力等。算例表明该模型有较好收敛性,能对一般海底高温高压埋设双层管管道隆起屈曲进行准确模拟。     

The cross-over mechanisms of integral buckle arrestors for offshore pipelines

Local buckling of submarine pipelines is unavoidable under extreme conditions and it can propagate along the pipeline. Thus, arrestors are installed in a periodic placement along the pipeline to limit the extent of catastrophic collapse between two adjacent arrestors. Generally, the integral buckle arrestors are crossed by two modes: the flattening mode and the flipping mode. This paper focuses on the cross-over mechanisms of arrestors by analyzing results from experiments and numerical simulations. Fifteen groups of full-scale and reduced-scale physical experiments are conducted to investigate the effect of local ovality of the downstream pipes on the arrestor performance. Furthermore, an extensive parametric study of cross-over modes of arrestors is performed by FE models to supplement the experimental results. It is found that the local ovality of the downstream pipes impacts the cross-over modes of integral buckle arrestors, which is more likely to deform by ovalization in the same sense as the local ovality. On the other hand, a new formula involving the major geometric and material characteristics of pipes and arrestors is proposed to estimate the flattening mode and the flipping mode of arrestors when the downstream pipes are intact. And the switch point of the two cross-over modes is 0.265.     

Dynamic Analysis and Numerical Simulation of a Kind of Arrestor Arresting Buckle Propagation by FEM

For exact estimation of efficiency of a buckle arrestor,it is necessary to take the effect ofstructural inertia into account in the analysis of buckle propagation on elastic structures after meetingarrestors.Under this consideration,this paper deals with the dynamics of buckle arrest and its numerica1simulation on the basis of the beam system model used by Chater and Hutchinson(1983).The FEM com-bined with an improving arc-length control method is adopted to solve the dynamic equations describingthe arresting of buckle propagation. A new group of parameters for arrestor design which differs greatlyfrom that by the quasi-static analysis is obtained.The present results support the conclusion that the iner-tia of the beam cannot be neglected in such analysis.     

Microbial Biomass and Organic Nutrients in the Deep-Sea Sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 10 -10 11 cells per g -1 dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance.     

A Review of Some Environmental Issues Affecting Marine Mining

This article reviews information recently available from existing marine and coastal mining for responses to environmental issues affecting marine mining at different depths. It is particularly but not exclusively concerned with those issues affecting seabed biodiversity impact and recovery. Much information has been gathered in the past 10 years from shallow mining operations for construction aggregate, diamonds, and gold, from coastal mines discharging tailings to shallow and deep water, and from experimental deep mining tests. The responses to issues identified are summarized in a series of eight tables intended to facilitate site-specific consideration. Since impacts can spread widely in the surface mixing layer SML, and can affect the biologically productive euphotic zone, the main issues considered arise from the depth of mining relative to the SML of the sea. Where mining is below the SML, the issue is whether it is environmentally better to bring the extraction products to the surface vessel for processing (and waste discharge), or to process the extraction products as much as possible on the seabed. Responses to the issues need to be sitespecific, and dependent on adequate preoperational environmental impact and recovery prediction. For deep tailings disposal from a surface vessel, there are four important environmental unknowns: (1) the possible growth of "marine snow" (bacterial flocs) utilizing the enormous quantities of fine tailings particles (hundreds or thousands of metric tons per day) as nuclei for growth, (2) the possibility that local keystone plankton and nekton species may migrate diurnally down to and beyond the depth of deep discharge and hence be subjected to tailings impact at depth, (3) the burrow-up capability of deep benthos and their ability to survive high rates of tailings deposition, and (4) the pattern and rate of dispersion of a tailings density current through the deep water column from discharge point to seabed. Actions to obtain relevant information in general and site-specifically are suggested.     

Increased Particle Fluxes at the INDEX Site Attributable to Simulated Benthic Disturbance

Particle fluxes were measured 7 m above the sea bottom during the predisturbance, disturbance, and postdisturbance periods by using time series sediment traps attached to seven deep-sea moorings deployed in the INDEX experiment site in the Central Indian Basin. The predisturbance particle fluxes varied between 22.3 to 55.1 mg m -2 day -1 . Increased and variable particle fluxes were recorded by the sediment traps during the disturbance period. The increase observed was 0.5 to 4 times more than the background predisturbance fluxes. The increases in particle fluxes (~4 times) recorded by the sediment trap located in the southwestern direction (DMS-1) were the greatest, which could be the result of preferential movement of resuspended particles generated during the deep-sea benthic disturbance along the general current direction prevailing in this area during the experimental period. Also, the traps located closer to the disturbance area recorded greater fluxes than did the traps far away, across the Deep Sea Sediment Resuspension System path. This variability in recorded particle fluxes by the traps around the disturbance area clearly indicates that physical characteristics such as grain size and density of the resuspended particles produced during the disturbance had an important effect on particle movement. The postdisturbance measurements during ~5 days showed a reduction in particle fluxes of ~50%, indicating rapid particle settlement.     

Assessing the Validity of Seismo-Acoustic Predictor Equations for Obtaining Seabed and Sub-Surface Sediment Physical Properties

The interdependence between the seismo-acoustic properties of a marine sediment and its geotechnical/physical parameters has been known for many years, and it has been postulated that this should allow the extraction of geotechnical information from seismic data. Though in the literature many correlations have been published for the surficial layer, there is a lack of information for greater sediment depths. In this article, a desktop study on a synthetic seafloor model illustrates how the application of published near-surface prediction equations to subsurface sediments (up to several tens of meters burial depth) can lead to spurious predictions. To test this further, acoustic and geotechnical properties were measured on a number of sediment core samples, some of which were subjected to loading in acoustically-equipped consolidation cells (oedometers) to simulate greater burial depth conditions. For low effective pressures (representing small burial depths extending to around 10 meters subsurface), the general applicability of established relationships was confirmed: the prediction of porosity, bulk density, and mean grain size from acoustic velocity and impedance appears generally possible for the investigated sedimentary environments. As effective pressure increases through, the observed relationships deviate more and more from the established ones for the near-surface area. For the samples tested in this study, in some instances increasing pressure even resulted in decreasing velocities. There are several possible explanations for this abnormal behavior, including the presence of gas, overconsolidation, or bimodal grain size distribution. The results indicate that an appropriate depth correction must be introduced into the published prediction equations in order to obtain reliable estimates of physical sediment properties for greater subsurface depths.     

Geoacoustic Inversion via Genetic Algorithm and Its Application to Manganese Sediment Identification

An acoustic inversion method using a wide-band signal and two near field receivers is proposed and applied to multiple layered seabed models including a manganese sediment. The inversion problem can be formulated into a probabilistic model comprised of signals, a forward model, and additive noise. The forward model simulates wide-band signals, such as chirp signals, and is chosen to be the source-waveletconvolution plane wave modeling method. The wavelet matching technique, using weighted least-squares fitting, estimates the sediment sound-speed and thickness on which determination of the possible numerical ranges for a priori uniform distribution is based. The genetic algorithm is applied to a global optimization problem to find a maximum a posteriori solution for determined a priori search space. Here the object function is defined by an L 2 norm of the difference between measured and modeled signals. Not only the marginal pdf but also its statistics are calculated by numerical evaluation of integrals using the samples selected during importance sampling process of the genetic algorithm.