Dynamic interaction between two parallel submarine pipelines considered vortex-induced vibration and local scour

Abstract

The mechanism of local scour under two vibrating pipelines is investigated numerically in this research. A sediment scour model is adopted to estimate the motion of sediment. The general moving objects model, which is dynamically coupled with fluid flow, is set up to simulate the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of the pipeline. The sediment scour model and pipeline vibration model are verified with the previous experimental results and show good agreement. Then, the coupling effects between the pipeline vibration and the local scour are investigated numerically. The effects of G/D (the ratio of the distance between the two pipelines to the diameter of the pipelines) on the local scour and the VIV of the pipeline are examined. The results indicate that the maximum scour depth under the vibrating pipelines is much larger than the scour depth under the fixed pipelines. Due to the shadowing effect of the upstream pipeline, the maximum scour depth under the upstream pipeline is deeper than that under the downstream pipeline. The pipeline vibration magnitude is closely related to the strength of the vortex that sheds behind the pipeline. The effect of G/D on the shape and strength of the vortices that shed behind the pipelines is significant.     

随机波作用下伞式吸力锚基础局部冲刷演变分析

为了验证新型伞式吸力锚基础的防冲刷效果,本文利用Flow-3D软件建立三维海床-吸力锚-波浪相互作用模型,基于JONSWAP随机波浪谱,结合某海域风区资料模拟随机波,对随机波浪作用下伞式吸力锚基础(USAF)局部冲刷演变进行分析,试验土体为非黏性土.首先探讨了随机波浪作用下基础周围流场变化规律和冲刷演变模式,其次分析了...     

海流作用下海底管道局部冲刷数值分析

在任意拉格朗日-欧拉参考坐标系下,采用基于雷诺平均的Navier-Stokes方程组(RANS)、流线迎风有限元方法、泥沙输运模型以及底床变形方程,对海流引起的海底管道局部冲刷进行了数值模拟。着重讨论了均匀来流流速和海底管道直径对局部冲刷发展过程及平衡冲刷深度的影响作用。数值结果表明,在冲刷的初始阶段,冲刷深度随时间迅速增加,之后缓慢逼近极限平衡深度;在管径一定的情况下,管道附近的局部平衡冲刷深度与流速大致呈线性关系;当流速超过某一临界区域后,最大平衡冲刷深度出现的位置并不在管道正下方,而是随流速的增加向管道下游方向移动;另外,管道直径也会对平衡冲刷深度产生比较明显的影响,在相同流速下,平衡冲刷深度大致随管径呈线性增大。在本文的计算范围内,海底管道的相对局部平衡冲刷深度基本随雷诺数线性增加,但流速对冲刷深度的影响作用要比管径的影响作用更为明显。     

A numerical model for onset of scour below offshore pipelines

A numerical model is developed to predict the onset of local scour below offshore pipelines in steady currents and waves. The scour is assumed to start when the pressure gradient underneath the pipeline exceeds the floatation gradient of the sediments. In this model, the water flow field above the bed is determined by solving the two-dimensional (2-D) Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a k-ω turbulence closure. The seepage flow below the seabed is calculated by solving the Darcy's law (Laplace's equation) with known pressure distribution along the common boundaries of the flow domains-seabed. The numerical method used for both the turbulent flow around the pipeline and Darcy's flow in the seabed is a fractional finite element method. The average pressure gradient along the buried pipe surface is employed in the evaluation of onset condition with a calibration coefficient. The numerical model is validated against experimental data available in literature. A unified onset condition for steady currents and waves is proposed. Influences of flow parameters, including water depth, embedment depth, boundary layer thickness, Reynolds number (Re) and Keuleagan–Carpenter (KC) number, on the pressure drop coefficient over the pipeline are studied systematically.     

Three-dimensional scour below offshore pipelines in steady currents

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on three-dimensional scour below offshore pipelines subject to steady currents. The major emphasis of the investigation is on the scour propagation velocity along the pipeline after the scour initiation. Physical experiments were conducted to quantify the effects of various parameters on scour propagation velocity along the pipeline in a water flume of 4 m wide, 2.5 m deep and 50 m long. Local scour depths directly below the model pipeline were measured using specifically developed conductivity scour probes. Effects of various parameters such as pipeline embedment depth, incoming flow Shields parameter and flow incident angle (relative to the pipeline) on scour propagation velocity along the pipeline were investigated. It was found that scour propagation velocity generally increases with the increase of Shields parameter but decreases with the increase of the pipeline embedment depth. A general predictive formula for scour propagation velocity is proposed and validated against the experimental results.     

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.     

往复流作用下海底管道局部冲刷机制数值模拟

基于开源的计算流体力学模式REEF3D,建立了海底管道局部冲刷水槽数值模型,在验证单向流实验结果的基础上,进一步对往复流作用下的海底管道局部冲刷机制进行了研究,并作对比分析。研究表明,总体上往复流对管道所在海床的局部冲刷规模比单向流弱。当流向改变后,原先下游的堆积区转变成上游,优先受到冲刷,并填充到管道下方的冲刷坑,同时使水流在管道下方的作用减弱。这种回填过程使短周期下的往复流作用需要更长的冲淤平衡时间。在回填与冲刷的共同作用下,上下游的冲刷坑坡度会因流向变化而变化。     

Investigation on the Local Scour Beneath Piggyback Pipelines Under Clear-Water Conditions

A piggyback pipeline consists of two pipes such that the secondary line rides on the main pipe with a fixed distance between two pipes in length. The novel strategy is utilized in offshore areas instead of a single flow line. In this regard, there are only a handful of experimental and numerical studies investigating the effect of scour below a piggyback pipeline under steady current. Hence, this study focuses on examining the influential factors on scouring due to steady current including the pipe diameter and the gap between pipes through numerical simulations and experimental tests. Accordingly, at the first phase of the research, a single pipe was established and tested in laboratory to compare the results with those of an empirical equation. After finishing experimental verifications,piggyback pipelines were also assembled to study the scouring under steady current conditions. It was concluded that by increasing the gap distance between the pipes, the maximum scour depth decreases; however, an increase in the small pipe's diameter results in a larger maximum scour depth. Secondly, numerical simulations were carried out using the FLOW-3D software which was found to be a suitable tool for the numerical investigation of this study.Finally, the numerical results have been compared with the corresponding experimental data and a relatively good agreement was achieved between them.     

Numerical Investigation on Vortex-Induced Rotations of A Triangular Cylinder Using An Immersed Boundary Method

A numerical study of vortex-induced rotations(VIRs) of an equivalent triangular cylinder, which is free to rotate in the azimuthal direction in a uniform flow, is presented. Based on an immersed boundary method, the numerical model is established, and is verified through the benchmark problem of flow past a freely rotating rectangular body.The computation is performed for a fixed reduced mass of m~*=2.0 and the structural stiffness and damping ratio are set to zero. The effects of Reynolds number(Re=25-180) on the characteristics of VIR are studied. It is found that the dynamic response of the triangular cylinder exhibits four distinct modes with increasing Re: a rest position,periodic rotational oscillation, random rotation and autorotation. For the rotational oscillation mode, the cylinder undergoes a periodic vibration around an equilibrium position with one side facing the incoming flow. Since the rotation effect, the outset of vortex shedding from cylinder shifts to a much lower Reynolds number. Further increase in Re leads to 2 P and P+S vortex shedding modes besides the typical 2 S pattern. Our simulation results also elucidate that the free rotation significantly changes the drag and lift forces. Inspired by these facts, the effect of free rotation on flow-induced vibration of a triangular cylinder in the in-line and transverse directions is investigated. The results show that when the translational vibration is coupled with rotation, the triangular cylinder presents a galloping response instead of vortex-induced vibration(VIV).     

3D scour below pipelines under waves and combined waves and currents

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on three-dimensional local scour below a rigid pipeline subjected to wave only and combined wave and current conditions. The tests were conducted in a conventional wave flume. The major emphasis of the investigation was on the scour propagation speed (free span expansion rate) along the pipeline after local scour was initiated at a controlled location. The effects of flow ratio (steady current velocity vs. combined waves/current velocity), flow incidence angle and pipeline initial embedment depth on free span expansion rate were investigated. It was observed that the scour along the pipeline propagated at a constant rate under wave only conditions. The scour propagation rate decreased with increasing embedment depth, however, increased with the increasing Keuglegan–Carpenter (KC) number. Under combined wave and current conditions, the effect of velocity ratio on scour propagation velocity along the pipeline was quantified. Empirical relationships between the scour propagation rate (V_h) and key parameters such as the KC number and embedment depth (e/D) were established based on the testing results.     

指数剪切流作用下海洋立管振动特性研究

细长海洋立管在复杂来流作用下的涡激振动（VIV）是海洋工程领域备受关注的热点问题。采用双向流—固耦合方法,对立管在指数剪切来流作用下的涡激振动实施了数值仿真研究。基于均方根振幅包络图的显性模态分析发现,与线性剪切流工况相比,当流速较小时,立管模型在指数剪切流作用下振幅最大值相对较小;流速较大时,指数剪切流的非线性分布致使立管的振动响应增强。通过对立管模型均方根振幅包络峰、谷处的振动响应频率分析发现,在波峰位置处振动频率单一且较为稳定,而在相邻波谷位置处多频共存现象显著,两者有显著差异。沿管的轴向波形主要表现为驻波主导和驻波—行波混合模式,行波一般间歇发生,流速越大发生频次愈高,其在横流向的传播方向通常由高流速区段传递至低流速区段。指数剪切流作用下,沿管体轴向各截面位置处的旋涡脱落模式差异显著,高流速段尾流区的旋涡发放具有较强的周期性,涡管完整且与管轴存在一定偏离角度,低流速段蜂窝状离散涡旋较多。     

港珠澳大桥青州航道桥桥墩基础冲刷试验研究

桥墩基础冲刷是桥梁毁坏的重要因素,是桥梁基础设计的关键指标之一。目前国内外对于桥墩基础在复杂动力条件下冲刷深度的研究常采用物理模型试验方法,利用正态系列模型方法,在波流水槽中研究了水流、潮流和波流共同作用下青州航道桥索塔基础周围流态变化和局部冲刷特征。研究结果表明,桥墩最大冲刷深度和冲淤范围与水流流速、桥墩轴线与水流夹角和波浪等因素有关;在潮流最大流速和恒定流流速一致情况下,桥墩局部冲刷深度达到平衡后,将会达到与恒定流基本一致的最大冲深;波流共同作用下的最大冲刷深度比恒定流增加10%左右。设计桥墩形状在100年一遇水流和波浪共同作用下桥墩基础局部最大冲刷深度为13.7 m。     

应用切割单元法对海底管道局部冲刷数值模拟

采用SIMPLEC算法的有限体积法,求解非定常流动的N-S方程,采用k-ω紊流模型,通过模拟均匀无粘性推移质的冲刷和淤积,得到海底管道由搁置在海床上的状态变为悬跨状态这一过程的管道周围局部海床冲刷情况,建立了海底管道局部冲刷的二维数值模型。海底管道从搁置在底床上到冲刷悬空的过程中,管道周围的空间产生了拓扑变化,这给采用贴体网格并在计算过程中进行网格重构的传统方法带来了很大困难,而采用切割单元法,把物体轮廓从静止的背景直角坐标结构化网格中切割出去,计算过程中不需要传统意义的网格重构过程。数值模型预测的海底管道周围局部冲刷结果与Mao的物理模型实验实测结果及Liang和Cheng等的数值模拟结果符合较好,验证了模型的准确性。     

基于CFD-DEM方法对海底管道床面冲刷的研究

采用计算流体力学—离散元耦合方法（CFD-DEM）模拟海底管道床面的冲刷过程。经过模型验证,该方法的计算结果与前人的研究具有较好的一致性,证明其可以应用于海底管道周围的冲刷模拟计算。冲刷初期的结果增强了目前对启动阶段粒子运动机理的理解,即管前后压力梯度造成的渗流作用导致粒子运动。对完整冲刷过程的模拟中,发现冲刷分为冲刷启动阶段、间隙冲刷阶段和尾迹冲刷阶段。间隙冲刷阶段管道下方粒子具有较大速度,冲刷坑快速向下方发展。进入尾迹冲刷阶段后,管道后方出现周期性脱落的涡旋,沙丘上的粒子速度更大。同时利用DEM更具直观性的独特优势,首次得到了14个典型位置处颗粒的运动轨迹和运动速度,对于理解冲刷过程中粒子的运动情况具有较大帮助。     

Prediction of wave-induced scour depth under submarine pipelines using machine learning approach

The scour around submarine pipelines may influence their stability; therefore scour prediction is a very important issue in submarine pipeline design. Several investigations have been conducted to develop a relationship between wave-induced scour depth under pipelines and the governing parameters. However, existing formulas do not always yield accurate results due to the complexity of the scour phenomenon. Recently, machine learning approaches such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been used to increase the accuracy of the scour depth prediction. Nevertheless, they are not as transparent and easy to use as conventional formulas. In this study, the wave-induced scour was studied in both clear water and live bed conditions using the M5’ model tree as a novel soft computing method. The M5’ model is more transparent and can provide understandable formulas. To develop the models, several dimensionless parameter, such as gap to diameter ratio, Keulegan-Carpenter number and Shields number were used. The results show that the M5’ models increase the accuracy of the scour prediction and that the Shields number is very important in the clear water condition. Overall, the results illustrate that the developed formulas could serve as a valuable tool for the prediction of wave-induced scour depth under both live bed and clear water conditions.     

Flow Separation and Vortex Dynamics in Waves Propagating over A Submerged Quartercircular Breakwater

The interactions of cnoidal waves with a submerged quartercircular breakwater are investigated by a Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) flow solver with a Volume of Fluid (VOF) surface capturing scheme (RANS-VOF) model. The vertical variation of the instantaneous velocity indicates that flow separation occurs at the boundary layer near the breakwater. The temporal evolution of the velocity and vorticity fields demonstrates vortex generation and shedding around the submerged quartercircular breakwater due to the flow separation. An empirical relationship between the vortex intensity and a few hydrodynamic parameters is proposed based on parametric analysis. In addition, the instantaneous and time-averaged vorticity fields reveal a pair of vortices of opposite signs at the breakwater which are expected to have significant effect on sediment entrainment, suspension, and transportation, therefore, scour on the leeside of the breakwater.     

海底管线柔性导流板的变形方程研究

海底输油管线是海洋油气田开发的生命线工程,在复杂的海洋环境中易发生破坏.为使管线实现自埋防护,提出用柔性材料代替刚性导流板安装在管线顶部,不仅可以增加阻水面积,加大冲刷深度和范围,而且可以减缓刚性导流板对管线上部水流的扰动强度和尾流涡旋的扰动强度,减小管线的振动.利用力学关系由变形方程推导出海底管线与海底间距离为零以及不为零情况下柔性导流板变形的二次曲面方程和自由端最大挠度.在单向流条件下将不同材料不同长度的柔性导流板安装在管线中轴上方开展试验研究,测量柔性导流板在水流作用下的变形曲面.对比分析利用公式计算柔性导流板的自由端最大挠度和曲面变形数据与试验结果,发现两者吻合较好.     

Numerical simulation of local scour around two pipelines in tandem using CFD–DEM method

In the field of offshore oil and gas engineering, the arrangement of multiple pipelines are becoming more common, the spacing between the pipelines and the incoming stream velocity will significantly affect the scouring process around the pipelines. In this study, the effect of space ratio (G/D) and the stream velocity on the scouring process around two pipelines in tandem are investigated using the coupled approach of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM). Here G is the spacing between the pipelines and D is the diameter of the pipeline. Specifically, the effect of space ratio and the stream velocity are discussed by simulating the gap ratio (G/D) between two pipelines ranging from 1 to 3 with an interval of 1, under the stream velocity U = 0.5,1 and 2 m/s, The results indicate that when G/D ≤ 2, the equilibrium scour depth below the upstream pipeline (S1) is slightly larger than that under the downstream pipeline (S2), S1 and S2 slightly increase as the gap ratio increases. Whereas for G/D > 2, the equilibrium scour depth beneath the upstream pipeline is slightly smaller than that under the downstream pipeline, S1 and S2 slightly decrease as the gap ratio increases. Furthermore, the scour depths are highly dependent on and positively related to the incoming stream velocity, the equilibrium bed profiles are similar under the same incident stream velocity with different gap ratios.     

Numerical simulation of a partially buried pipeline in a permeable seabed subject to combined oscillatory flow and steady current

Hydrodynamic forces exerting on a pipeline partially buried in a permeable seabed subjected to combined oscillatory flow and steady current are investigated numerically. Two-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations with a k−ω turbulent model closure are solved to simulate the flow around the pipeline. The Laplace equation is solved to calculate the pore pressure below the seabed with the simulated seabed hydrodynamic pressure as boundary conditions. The numerical model is validated against the experimental data of a fully exposed pipeline resting on a plane boundary under various flow conditions. Then the flow with different embedment depths, steady current ratios and KC numbers is simulated. The amplitude of seepage velocity is much smaller than the amplitude of free stream velocity as expected. The normalized Morison inertia, drag and lift coefficients based on the corresponding force coefficients of a fully exposed pipeline are investigated. The normalized Morison force coefficients reduce almost linearly with the increase of embedment depth and that the KC only has minor effect on the normalized Morison coefficients. It is also found that the permeable seabed condition causes a slight increase on the inline force and has a little effect on the lift force, compared with corresponding conditions in an impermeable bed.