Non-symmetric cyclic bending of helical wires in flexible pipes

Unbonded flexible pipes have superior fatigue performance as the internal armor layers are allowed to move relative to each other, leading to reduced structural loading. The main interactions between the internal layers are the contact forces and the frictional forces. Frictional interaction leads to a complex non-linear response of unbonded flexible pipes making prediction of cyclic bending fatigue a demanding task. Nevertheless, detailed understanding of local armor wire stresses and the related fatigue phenomena is of paramount importance as unbonded flexible risers are often operated close to their mechanical limits. This paper presents a method for calculating the tensile armor wire loading and the hysteresis effect on flexible pipes when subjected to tension, and non-symmetric cyclic bending. The effect of non-symmetric cyclic bending with different tensile armor lay angles, and frictional conditions are studied. The analysis uses an efficient repeated unit cell finite element model, allowing the analysis to be performed on a desktop computer. The study shows that the tensile armor wires gradually translate towards the compression side of the pipe bending plane, when the unbonded flexible pipe is subjected to combined tension and non-symmetric cyclic bending. In the analysis, cyclic bending is applied until steady-state in the bending response is achieved over a full bending cycle. The global bending response of the flexible pipe and the tensile armor wire loading conditions for fully stabilized non-symmetric cyclic bending become symmetric around the frictionless state for the mean cyclic bending curvature. An approximate analytic model for the tensile armor in the stabilized cycle, based on symmetric bending about the geodesic curve corresponding to the mean pipe curvature, is proposed.     

VIV response of a long flexible riser fitted with strakes in uniform and linearly sheared currents

An experimental investigation was conducted on a flexible riser with and without various strake arrangements. The aim of the present work was to further improve the understanding of the response performance of the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a riser with helical strakes. Two current profiles, including uniform and linearly sheared flows, were simulated. The uniform current was simulated by towing the riser model in one direction using the towing carriage, and the linearly sheared current was simulated by fixing one end of the riser and using a driven cantilever to traverse a circular arc. Based on the modal superposition method, the displacement responses were obtained from the measured strain. Strakes with different heights and pitches were analysed, and response parameters such as the displacement response and fatigue damage were studied. The results of the bare model test show that the lock-in phenomenon displays multi-order characteristics, and the VIV displacement decreases with an increased order of the lock-in regime. The results of the straked model test indicate that the response characteristics of a bare riser can be quite distinct from those of a riser with helical strakes, and the response performance depends closely on the geometry of the strake configuration.     

Experimental investigation of the effects of the coverage of helical strakes on the vortex-induced vibration response of a flexible riser

The effects of different helical strake coverage on the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a model flexible riser were studied experimentally, with the aim of further improving the understanding of VIV responses. Uniform and linearly sheared currents were simulated to study response parameters such as non-dimensional displacement, fatigue damage, suppression efficiency, and the comprehensive evaluation is further studied. Test results of the bare model for a uniform current showed that the behavior of both the standing wave and traveling wave dominated VIV displacement. However, for a linearly sheared current, traveling wave behavior dominated VIV displacement in the high-velocity range. The results of the straked model tests indicated that the response was strongly dependent upon the amount of coverage of helical strakes. The flexible riser with 75% strake coverage gave the best comprehensive evaluation in a uniform current, and 50% strake coverage gave the best comprehensive evaluation in a linearly sheared current.     

Mechanical responses of metallic strip flexible pipes subjected to pure torsion

Metallic strip flexible pipes (MSFP), a relatively new style of unbonded flexible pipes, are considered as an attractive alternative to traditional submarine pipes. Pipelines will inevitably confront torsion load which may affect the integrity and safety during their installation and application. Throughout this paper, the mechanical behavior of MSFP subjected to pure torsion is investigated by both experimental and numerical methods. Results from these two methods are essentially in agreement with each other. The finite element method (FEM) can be adopted to predict the failure torque of MSFP under torsion and analyze the detailed stress conditions of each layer. In addition, the effects of boundary conditions, layout manners of steel strips, friction coefficients between contact surfaces, twist directions and tension loads are discussed. The obtained conclusions will benefit cross-section design of MSFP and relative practical engineering.     

玻纤增强柔性管等效简化模型研究

玻纤增强柔性管作为一种新型海底油气输送管道,具有比强度高、柔度大和抗腐蚀性强等特点,因此在深海油气开发中具有非常广阔的应用前景。玻纤增强柔性管主要由内衬层、增强层和外保护层组成,其中增强层的等效模拟是玻纤增强柔性管设计成功与否的关键。根据玻纤增强柔性管的结构特征和材料特性,选取了四种不同的等效简化模型,对比研究了玻纤增强柔性管在轴向拉压荷载、弯曲荷载以及内压荷载作用下的力学性能。将不同简化模型的计算结果与相应的试验数据进行对比,进行等效模型的优选。研究结果表明,在内压载荷和弯曲载荷作用下,基于Halpin-Tsai模型数值结果与试验结果最为接近。在轴向载荷作用下,采用分离式模型或回形模型计算精度更高,若材料达到屈服状态时,则建议采用分离式模型进行模拟。     

Validity and limitation of analytical models for the bending stress of a helical wire in unbonded flexible pipes

Unbonded flexible pipe is one of the important pieces of equipment in floating production systems for transport of oil and gas between floaters and subsea wells located in deep water. To assure safety over a long-term service period, analysis of fatigue behavior under alternative bending is a key requirement. An analytical model for prediction of bending behavior is essential for understanding the mechanism of the local stress distribution in the helical wires of the tension armor layers under alternative curvatures and rapid estimation of the service life of flexible pipes for designers in engineering practice. In this paper, seven analytical models available in the literature are selected and summarized. Although the experimental results reported in the literature are limited, a three-dimensional finite element model is developed for investigation of the seven models, and the validity and limitations of these models for different structural parameters of helical wire are discussed, i.e., the width-thickness ratio of the wire section and helical angle. The analytical model based on spring theory resulted in a satisfactory estimation of bending stress for most cases and is recommended as a tool for the basic design of the helical armor wire structures in flexible pipes.     

海底载流管道轴对称波频散特性分析

海底载流管道是典型的土-固-液三相耦合问题.利用Flügge壳体运动方程,结合弹性动力学方程,建立海底载流管道轴对称运动时的频散方程,分析自由振动波的性质及其随频率变化的规律.结果表明管道周围的土壤介质对其自由振动波的传播特性影响显著,而土壤介质刚度的增大使得自由振动波的截止频率随之增加.     

Hybrid frequency–time domain models for dynamic response analysis of marine structures

Time-domain models of marine structures based on frequency domain data are usually built upon the Cummins equation. This type of model is a vector integro-differential equation which involves convolution terms. These convolution terms are not convenient for analysis and design of motion control systems. In addition, these models are not efficient with respect to simulation time, and ease of implementation in standard simulation packages. For these reasons, different methods have been proposed in the literature as approximate alternative representations of the convolutions. Because the convolution is a linear operation, different approaches can be followed to obtain an approximately equivalent linear system in the form of either transfer function or state-space models. This process involves the use of system identification, and several options are available depending on how the identification problem is posed. This raises the question whether one method is better than the others. This paper therefore has three objectives. The first objective is to revisit some of the methods for replacing the convolutions, which have been reported in different areas of analysis of marine systems: hydrodynamics, wave energy conversion, and motion control systems. The second objective is to compare the different methods in terms of complexity and performance. For this purpose, a model for the response in the vertical plane of a modern containership is considered. The third objective is to describe the implementation of the resulting model in the standard simulation environment Matlab/Simulink.     

Strength modelling in stiffened FRP structures with viscoelastic inserts for ocean structures

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the static structural response of a new type of composite stiffener containing a viscoelastic insert. The introduction of this material has proven benefits in terms of noise and vibration attenuation across the joint. House, 1997 describes the use of this material in sonar dome/hull connections — equipment sensitive to noise and vibration. Structural stiffeners incorporating this material would have positive implications for not only marine and ocean structures but for structural applications in general. The effects of introducing this new material on the structural response of the joint are numerically examined by using a progressive damage model. Application of this method allows the initiation and progression of failure and ultimate failure load to be predicted. Experimental results show good qualitative and quantitative agreement with the predictive damage model.     

时域内规则波作用下竖直板的水弹性响应

在线性势流理论下,采用模态叠加法,通过傅里叶变换和拉普拉斯变换推导了波浪冲击作用下弹性板振动的时域耦合方程,并利用二阶隐式荣格库塔法求解。在对比得知与其他方法结果完全吻合基础上,分析了竖直板初始弯曲释放后,板的边界条件和刚度系数对板振幅以及辐射波高的作用,最后对入射波长对板的振动及辐射波高影响进行了研究。结果表明板的刚度和边界条件对水弹性响应有很大的影响。     

大洋采矿输送软管动力特性的数值研究

在大量勘探数据的基础上，对中国东太平洋7．5万km^2矿区采矿环境进行研究，得出集矿机是否安全行驶，直接关系着大洋采矿的成败。影响集矿机行驶的因素很多，其中输送软管是重要因素之一。通过理论分析计算和小型模拟实验相结合的研究方法，进行了软管与集矿机受力分析与仿真计算研究，开发了相应的应用软件。总结了大洋采矿系统中输送软管动态特性数值研究的最新研究成果，对我国大洋多金属结核矿产资源的开发，深海采矿系统的设计和回采策略的制定有一定的参考价值和实用意义。     

单锚腿系泊系统动力响应的时域计算方法

在时域内建立了单锚腿系泊系统在风、浪、流联合作用下动力响应的计算方法。在分析波浪荷载时，使用了设计波法和非线性Stokes五阶波，并由经验公式求出了船舶的风、流荷载作用力。系统的动力初始条件由准静态方法求得。由静态方法得到系泊力后，使用了四阶Runge-Kutta方法求解船舶的运动时历，并作为立管和浮筒动力计算的边界条件。由二维梁柱单元和集中质量法构建了立管和浮简的数学模型，立管的运动方程用Wilson-θ法求解。模拟计算结果和试验结果进行了比较，吻合得较好,表明本方法能够用于计算单锚腿系泊系统的动力响应。     

Experimental studies on performances of flexible floating oil booms in coupled wave-current flow

Floating oil booms are commonly-adopted facility to collect spilled oil on sea surface, or to protect specific areas against oil slick spreading. In this study, 931 runs of laboratory test were carried out under wave-current coupling conditions to investigate hydrodynamic performances of the flexible floating oil boom. The tests first conducted a comparison on motion responses between the flexible floating boom and the rigid one to indicate the necessity of taking the flexibility of boom into consideration. Then a comprehensive analysis was carried out to investigate the effects of the ambient currents, waves and the boom characteristics of material stiffness, diameter of floater, length of skirt, and B/W (Buoyancy/Weight) ratio on the motion responses of the flexible floating booms. Finally, by taking the water blockage effect in front of the boom into consideration in the definition of boom effectiveness, the effective draft and freeboard were compared between the flexible boom and rigid one under fixed current and wave conditions. The effects of currents, waves, skirt lengths and B/W ratios on the effective draft and effective freeboard are assessed.     

Axial friction response of full-scale pipes in soft clays

The axial friction response of subsea pipelines in soft clays is a very important aspect for designers of subsea pipelines but the response is not well understood so far. There is a pressing need for the comprehension of the response. In this paper, model tests are performed using full-scale pipes coated with polyethylene (PE) to study the effects of the set-up period, the pipe diameter, the buried depth of the pipe, the shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate on the axial friction response of pipelines in soft clays. The variations of the axial friction coefficient are analyzed using the effective stress method based on model test results. The results show that the axial friction resistance increases with the increasing pipe diameter but the effect of the pipe diameter on the axial friction coefficient can be neglected. The ultimate axial resistance also increases with the increase of the buried depth of pipelines, the undrained shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate. The axial friction coefficient increases with the increasing loading rate. However, the axial friction coefficient decreases with the increasing buried depth. The method to determine the axial friction coefficient is developed by analyzing model test results, which considers the effects of the diameter, the buried depth, the undrained shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate. The study results not only extend the industry data base but also supply a basis to determine the axial friction coefficient of PE-coated pipes in soft clays for ocean engineering geological investigations.     

Frequency domain analysis of dynamic response of drag dominated offshore structures

The paper describes a method for stochastic representation of the hydrodynamic drag forces on offshore structures subjected to irregular waves. It is shown that, for the case of zero current, it is possible to construct a genuinely quadratic representation of the drag force which reproduces the statistical properties of the standard formulation of the drag force very closely, and which at the same time has sufficient flexibility to ensure a spectral density that accurately approximates the desired force spectrum. The distinct advantage of the new representation is that it brings dynamic analysis of extensive linear structures back into the frequency domain.     

Prediction of non-cavitation propeller noise in time domain

The blade frequency noise of non-cavitation propeller in a uniform flow is analyzed in time domain. The unsteady loading (dipole source) on the blade surface is calculated by a potential-based surface panel method. Then the time- dependent pressure data is used as the input for Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings formulation to predict the acoustics pressure. The integration of noise source is performed over the true blade surface rather than the nothickness blade surface, and the effect of hub can be considered. The noise characteristics of the non-cavitation propeller and the numerical discretization forms are discussed.     

Hydroelastic analysis of cantilever plate in time domain

Numerical solutions for the hydroelastic problems of bodies are studied directly in the time domain using Neumann–Kelvin formulation. In the hydrodynamic part of problem, the exact initial boundary value problem is linearized using the free stream as a basis flow, replaced by the boundary integral equation applying Green theorem over the transient free surface Green function. The resultant boundary integral equation is discretized using quadrilateral elements over which the value of the potential is assumed to be constant and solved using the trapezoidal rule to integrate the memory or convolution part in time. In the structure part of the problem, the finite element method is used to solve the hydroelastic problem. The Mindlin plate as a bending element, which includes transverse shear effect and rotary inertia effect are used. The present numerical results show acceptable agreement with experimental, analytical, and other published numerical results.     

冲击荷载作用下新型延展式张力腿平台时域分析

延展式张力腿平台是一种适用于深水油气开采的海洋平台结构。提出一种新型平台由四个立柱和一个环形浮箱连接而成,环形浮箱是由四个箱型梁焊接而成。根据给出的南海海域的海况条件和相应的规范计算结构的环境载荷,运用SESAM软件Deep C模块,考虑风、浪、流等环境荷载的作用和张力腿系统的非线性影响,进行了时域耦合分析,得到了平台的运动位移时程、张力腿系统张力时程和张力极值等。模拟波浪破碎作为冲击载荷,得到张力腿平台在冲击荷载作用下的运动位移时程、张力腿系统的张力时程。研究结果表明:该新型平台具有良好的运动响应,张力筋腱应力满足安全要求;在冲击载荷作用下新型平台的运动响应也满足要求。     

海洋工程中双柔性圆柱流激振动响应特性

海洋立管、海底管线和浮式平台系泊缆等柔性圆柱结构的流激振动会造成严重的疲劳损伤。目前,关于单根柔性圆柱流激振动的研究较多。为研究多根柔性圆柱系统的流激振动特性,开展了双柔性圆柱流激振动的模型试验。采用模态分析法将试验测量应变转化为位移。通过分析双柔性圆柱在并列、串列和交错排布方式下的响应位移、控制频率,揭示了双柔性圆柱的流激振动特性。研究结果表明:柔性圆柱并列排布时,两圆柱的相互作用使结构顺流向位移增大;柔性圆柱串列排布时,受遮蔽效应的影响,下游圆柱控制模态较低。由于柔性圆柱的多模态响应特性,"锁频"区后下游圆柱的位移并未显著增大;柔性圆柱交错排布时,下游圆柱发生"Wake-flutter",横流向和顺流向的控制频率接近,顺流向的位移显著增大。