Onset of scour below pipelines and self-burial

This paper summarizes the results of an experimental study on the onset of scour below and self-burial of pipelines in currents/waves. Pressure was measured on the surface of a slightly buried pipe at two points, one at the upstream side and the other at the downstream side of the pipe, both in the sand bed. The latter enabled the pressure gradient (which drives a seepage flow underneath the pipe) to be calculated. The results indicated that the excessive seepage flow and the resulting piping are the major factor to cause the onset of scour below the pipeline. The onset of scour occurred always locally (but not along the length of the pipeline as a two-dimensional process). The critical condition corresponding to the onset of scour was determined both in the case of currents and in the case of waves. Once the scour breaks out, it will propagate along the length of the pipeline, scour holes being interrupted with stretches of soil (span shoulders) supporting the pipeline. As the span shoulder gets shorter and shorter, more and more weight of the pipeline is exerted on the soil. In this process, a critical point is reached where the bearing capacity of the soil is exceeded (general shear failure). At this point, the pipe begins to sink at the span shoulder (self-burial). It was found that the self-burial depth is governed mainly by the Keulegan–Carpenter number. The time scale of the self-burial process, on the other hand, is governed by the Keulegan–Carpenter number and the Shields parameter. Diagrams are given for the self-burial depth and the time scale of the self-burial process.     

海底输油管道底砂床冲刷机理研究

设计了海底输油管道水槽冲刷试验模型,研究了海底输油管道与砂床处于不同相对位置情况下床砂起动流速的变化,采用理想流体映射定理对其进行了理论分析,探讨起动流速变化规律。结合有限元数值模拟对试验进行细化分析,研究了海底管道底砂床砂粒起动的产生机理,根据研究结果将冲刷过程划分为五个阶段。阐明了海底管道暴露冲刷的危害性和实时监测的重要性。     

Mechanism of local scour around submarine pipelines based on numerical simulation of turbulence model

1 IntroductionSubmarine pipelines are important ocean engi-neeringequipm ents, especiallyfortheoiland gasin-dustries. M anyresearchershavebeendedicatedtotheproblem of local scour around the submarinepipelines, butmostoftheirwork arelaboratory testsand foc…     

斜向波作用下斜坡海床上管线三维冲刷不均衡性研究

由于海床起伏不平,斜坡的存在必然改变波浪对管线及海床的作用特性,进而影响管线三维冲刷。基于波浪港池实验,考虑规则波的作用,采用中值粒径为0.22mm的原型沙铺设与波浪传播方向成45°夹角的斜坡,研究斜向波作用下斜坡上海底管线的三维冲刷特性。通过测量管线下方冲刷坑宽度和深度的差异,分析管线三维冲刷的不均衡性。实验表明:管线的存在使斜坡上的波高有所降低;斜向波作用下管线三维冲刷的不均衡性表现为深度不均衡性和宽度不均衡性,宽度不均衡性主要是管后淤积泥沙的后移引起的,周期对三维冲刷不均衡性的影响比波高对其的影响程度大;管线自深海向近岸延展时,随水深的减小,冲刷深度分为缓慢发展阶段和快速发展阶段。     

Numerical study of the Reynolds-number dependence of two-dimensional scour beneath offshore pipelines in steady currents

A numerical model for local scour below pipelines is employed to investigate the Reynolds-number dependence of the two-dimensional scour beneath offshore pipelines in steady currents. A novel wall function is proposed in calculating the suspended sediment transport rate in the model. Scour developments beneath a model pipeline and the corresponding prototype pipeline are simulated under the same undisturbed Shields parameter but different values of Reynolds number. The effects of the Reynolds number difference on the scour profile development are investigated. It is found that scour depths for prototype pipelines are about 10–15% smaller than those for model pipelines. The flow phenomena that causes this difference are discussed by means of flow visualization. The normalized time scales are found to be approximately the same. The simulated scour profiles for the model pipelines agree well with the experimental results from an independent study.     

A modified numerical calculation method of collapse pressure for thick-walled offshore pipelines

Considering the shear deformation and thickness stretching of large deformation, a modified numerical calculation method based on the thick shell theory is established to determine the collapse pressure of thick-walled pipes. Verification experiments are conducted on ten pipe specimens in hyperbaric chambers. The good agreement between experimental results and numerical predictions shows the validity and reliability of the new numerical calculation method. Combining DNV specification, the characteristic collapse pressure is also calculated for comparison. The difference between experimental results and DNV calculations illustrates the latter one is much conservative in predicting collapse pressure for thick-walled pipes. Sensitivity analysis on manufacturing imperfections and material properties is investigated for pipes with different D/t ratios. Thick-walled pipes are easier to be affected by initial ovality, residual stress and hardening factor. Based on the stress distribution at the moment of collapse, a novel discovery is found that the collapse pressure of thick-walled pipes is dominated by material plastic behavior.     

大型桥梁钢沉井下沉过程局部冲刷研究

钢沉井下沉过程中局部冲刷的研究是同类桥墩设计和施工十分关心的重要课题,它对保证钢沉井安全有效施工、桥梁设计中施工期桥墩最大冲深、失稳和安全计算有重要参考价值。通过室内试验研究了钢沉井下沉过程中的局部冲刷机理和冲刷形态,探讨了桥墩下部钢沉井基础施工的相对高程对局部冲刷的变化规律,并将试验研究所获得的局部冲刷规律和影响因素,采用墩型系数方法引入局部冲刷计算中,给出了计算公式。研究成果补充了国家行业规范内容,对同类工程的设计、施工具有借鉴和指导意义。     

A two-phase numerical model for sediment transport prediction under oscillatory sheet flows

To predict sediment transport under oscillatory sheet flow condition, especially for fine sand, is still a challenging research subject in coastal engineering. This paper describes a newly-developed numerical model based on two-phase theory with the use of a one-equation turbulence closure, and its applications in predicting fine sediment suspension in near-prototype oscillatory sheet flow conditions. Model results were compared with comprehensive laboratory measurements of flow velocity and sediment concentration under both symmetrical and asymmetrical oscillatory sheet flows from a large-scale water tunnel. Good agreements between the model results and measurements were achieved and the results demonstrated that the model is capable of reproducing detailed characteristics of sediment entrainment process in the sheet flow regime. The comparisons also revealed the fact that the concentration peaks at flow reversal is associated with the strong vertical sediment transport flux in the pickup layer, which has been widely observed in many laboratory experiments. The effects of flow reversal events on total sediment transport were also discussed.     

Developing empirical formulas for assessing the scour of vertical and inclined piers

Abstract

Because scour is one of the main reasons for bridge failure, this study focuses on accurately predicting the maximum scour depth around different vertical and inclined piers. Scouring is an issue of concern in the bridge design process, as most existing equations for predicting local scour near bridge piers suffer from over- or underprediction issues, resulting in higher foundation costs or bridge failure and inaccurate predictions of the scour around piers. The dimensionless maximum scour depths (y_s/D) of vertical and inclined piers were investigated for seven pier shapes with different L/D ratios and four inclination angles (θ) under shallow flow conditions. The inclined pier configuration reduced the y_s/D of the piers. The maximum y_s/D was observed for a rectangular pier with an L/D of 4.5 in both vertical and inclined configurations (θ of 10, 15 and 21°, respectively). The y_s/D was significantly decreased by increasing the angle of the pier from 10 to 30°. The y_s/D of the inclined rectangular piers decreased as θ decreased from 30 to 10° and the L/D ratio increased from 1 to 4.5. The best y_s/D results were obtained for inclined rectangular piers at a θ value of 30° and an L/D ratio of 7.5 compared to other shapes and inclination angles. New equations were developed to predict the local scour depth for circular, square and rectangular bridge piers. The equations yielded excellent results for predicting the maximum clear water scour depth around vertical and inclined piers with inclination angles of 10, 15, 21 and 30°, respectively.     

一种新型三维水流数值模型

以不可压缩流体的N-S方程为基本控制方程,用快速粒子level set方法(FPLS)追踪自由表面,提出了一种新的三维水流数值模型。在自由表面处应用虚拟压力法来封闭压力泊松方程,同时用速度等值外插的方法构造自由表面外侧的虚拟速度分布。通过模拟水波振荡、水柱崩塌、水滴滴落和空箱注水过程证明了模型的有效性。     

A simple model of sediment initiation under waves

A simple model is developed to study the initial motion of sediment on a horizontal bed under non-breaking waves. The model is derived to be A=C(T−T₀) based on a wide range of experimental data collected in different flow regimes, where A is the nearbed semi-excursion of wave motion, T is the wave period, and C and T₀ are the coefficients dependent on sediment properties only. For a given sediment, the onset velocity of sediment motion derived from the model is shown to initially increase sharply with wave period T and then approach a constant. The flow Reynolds number Re corresponding to an initiated sediment is also calculated from the simple model and found to be a function of sediment properties and wave period. For the completeness of this study, the initial motion of light sediment under very short waves is also investigated. The present model agrees well with the available laboratory and field data.     

长江口深水航道整治一期工程南导提丁坝群头局部冲刷试验研究

采用双向稳定水流、清水定床、局部动床的试验方法，用正态模型研究长江口深水航道整治一期工程南导堤丁坝群坝头局部冲刷问题。结果表明，航道开挖和双本坝的存在使得下游流速有所增加，影响程度落潮大于涨潮。坝头局部冲刷主要受落潮流控制，在沿深度为单一砂粉底质情况下，坝头冲刷坑深度分别达到27m和29m；考虑到原状底质下部为极难起动的粘土，实际冲刷坑底界到达粘土层后就不再刷深，此时冲刷坑深度为7．4m和4．7m，冲刷坑的平面范围有所加大。工程设计提出的护坦尺度能较好地保护坝头前沿滩地，适当缩小护坦尺度也能起到保护作用，但冲刷范围明显增大。     

A predictive numerical model for potential mapping of the gas hydrate stability zone in the Gulf of Cadiz

This paper presents a computational model for mapping the regional 3D distribution in which seafloor gas hydrates would be stable, that is carried out in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. The construction of the model is comprised of three primary steps, namely: (1) the construction of surfaces for the various variables based on available 3D data (seafloor temperature, geothermal gradient and depth-pressure); (2) the calculation of the gas function equilibrium functions for the various hydrocarbon compositions reported from hydrate and sediment samples; and (3) the calculation of the thickness of the hydrate stability zone. The solution is based on a transcendental function, which is solved iteratively in a GIS environment.The model has been applied in the northernmost continental slope of the Gulf of Cadiz, an area where an abundant supply for hydrate formation, such as extensive hydrocarbon seeps, diapirs and fault structures, is combined with deep undercurrents and a complex seafloor morphology. In the Gulf of Cadiz, the model depicts the distribution of the base of the gas hydrate stability zone for both biogenic and thermogenic gas compositions, and explains the geometry and distribution of geological structures derived from gas venting in the Tasyo Field (Gulf of Cadiz) and the generation of BSR levels on the upper continental slope.     

A new efficient 3D non-hydrostatic free-surface flow model for simulating water wave motions

A new three-dimensional, non-hydrostatic free surface flow model is presented. For simulating water wave motions over uneven bottoms, the model employs an explicit project method on a Cartesian the staggered gird system to solve the complete three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations. A bi-conjugated gradient method with a pre-conditioning procedure is used to solve the resulting matrix system. The model is capable of resolving non-hydrostatic pressure by incorporating the integral method of the top-layer pressure treatment, and predicting wave propagation and interaction over irregular bottom by including a partial bottom-cell treatment. Four examples of surface wave propagation are used to demonstrate the capability of the model. Using a small of vertical layers (e.g. 2–3 layers), it is shown that the model could effectively and accurately resolve wave shoaling, non-linearity, dispersion, fission, refraction, and diffraction phenomena.     

北部湾潮汐的伴随同化数值模拟

影响潮汐和潮流模拟精度的两个主要因素是对开边界条件和底摩擦系数的选取。如果能给出优化的开边界条件和底系数摩系数,则必将提高潮汐和潮流模拟的精度。     

湍流数值模拟中封闭模式应用的局限性

通过对琼州海峡的潮流场特征进行数值模拟，指出了选择不同的特征混合长度表达式对数值模拟结果的影响，表明了基于特征混合长度理论的流封闭模式在近海湍流数值模拟中应用的局限性。     

河口海岸二维悬沙数学模型挟沙力公式修正及应用

在河口海岸二维悬沙数学模型中,半潮或全潮平均的潮流挟沙能力并不能完全反映其逐时的实际情况,为此进行了分析研究。研究结果表明:1)应用半潮或全潮平均的潮流挟沙力公式进行悬沙数值模拟时,应引入一个修正系数;2)该修正系数与公式中的指数成反比,与相对水深成正比,且与相位角也存在一定联系;3)该修正系数理论正确、实用方便、验证成果良好,实例计算表明能够较好地复演天然悬沙场分布。     

基于熵的海洋平台安全评价专家评定模型

针对现今海洋平台安全评价中存在的仅靠主观臆断选取专家的缺陷,在定义最优专家的基础上,采用熵度量各专家给出评价结果的不确定性及专家与最优专家的差异,建立了基于熵的专家评定模型。海洋平台装船过程安全评价中,对专家的评定实例表明,该模型计算简单,意义明确,对海洋平台安全评价具有重要的理论与现实意义。     

长江口深水航道三维泥沙数值模型相关问题探讨

基于近年来长江口三维水沙盐数值模型及水沙运动机理的研究进展,系统梳理了在长江口实际应用中面临的若干理论和技术难题,其中包括长江口物质输运模拟计算格式的守恒性和稳定性、河口区域河床切应力的准确计算、拦门沙区域近底高浓度泥沙形成机理及数值模型模拟、长江口近底高浓度泥沙横向入槽模式等问题,通过对于上述问题的梳理和总结,表明在长江口这类巨型河口进行三维水沙盐数值模型和水沙机理研究的复杂性,并针对此类区域的模型技术研发和水沙运动理论研究,提出了有科学意义和研究价值的方向和思路。     

浅水中浮体在波浪作用下运动的三维时域计算模型

港口中系泊船在波浪作用下运动问题的本质是浅水波浪与浮体的相互作用。与深水情况不同,浅水问题应当考虑水底、水域边界的影响及浅水波浪自身的特性,单一模型很难实现该模拟过程。为此,建立了Boussinesq方程计算入射波和Laplace方程计算散射波的全时域组合计算模型。有限元法求解的Boussinesq方程能使入射波充分考虑到水底、水域边界的影响和浅水波浪的特性;散射波被线性化,采用边界元法求解,并以浮体运动时的物面条件为入射波和散射波求解的匹配条件。该方法为完全的时域方法,计算网格不随时间变动,计算过程较为方便。通过与实验及其他数值方法的结果进行比较,验证了本模型对非线性波面、浮体的运动都有比较理想的计算结果,显示了本模型对非线性问题具有较好的计算能力。