Calculation of maximum allowable free span length and safety assessment of the DF1-1 submarine pipeline

The DF1-1 submarine pipeline was investigated using a dual-frequency side-scan sonar and a swath sounder system. More than a hundred scour pits under the pipeline were found, most of which have caused the span of the pipeline to increase and threatened its safety. The maximum allowable free span length (MAFSL) of the pipeline was determined through the limitations regarding maximum allowable stress under static or quasi-static loads and the onset of Vortex Induced Vibrations (VIV) under different hydrodynamic actions. The results show that the MAFSL under static conditions is 56 m. However, the MAFSLs are 30 m and 20 m under ordinary weather conditions and hurricane-induced currents for the 100-year return period, respectively, to avoid VIV as calculated by using the highest safety class factor. It is suggested that spanning pipelines longer than 20 m should be supported. Additionally, eight successive spans which may also threaten the pipeline were proposed. The most hazardous scour pits are along the pipeline section from KP42 to KP51.     

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Local Scour Around Submarine Piggyback Pipeline Under Steady Current

As a new type of submarine pipeline, the piggyback pipeline has been gradually adopted in engineering practice to enhance the performance and safety of submarine pipelines. However, limited simulation work and few experimental studies have been published on the scour around the piggyback pipeline under steady current. This study numerically and experimentally investigates the local scour of the piggyback pipe under steady current. The influence of prominent factors such as pipe diameter, inflow Reynolds number, and gap between the main and small pipes, on the maximum scour depth have been examined and discussed in detail. Furthermore, one formula to predict the maximum scour depth under the piggyback pipeline has been derived based on the theoretical analysis of scour equilibrium. The feasibility of the proposed formula has been effectively calibrated by both experimental data and numerical results. The findings drawn from this study are instructive in the future design and application of the piggyback pipeline.     

Scour development around submarine pipelines due to current based on the maximum entropy theory

This paper presents the results from laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis to investigate the development of scour around submarine pipeline under steady current conditions. Experiments show that the scour process takes place in two stages: the initial rapid scour and the subsequent gradual scour development stage. An empirical formula for calculating the equilibrium scour depth (the maximum scour depth) is developed by using the regression method. This formula together with the maximum entropy theory can be applied to establish a formula to predict the scour process for given water depth, diameter of pipeline and flow velocity. Good agreement between the predicted and measured scour depth is obtained.     

Undersea Buried Pipeline Reconstruction Based on the Level Set and Inverse Multiquadric Regularization Method

The electric inversion technique reconstructs the subsurface medium distribution from acquired data. On the basis of electric inversion, objects buried under the earth or seabed, such as pipelines and unexploded ordnance, are detected and located in a contactless manner. However, the process of accurately reconstructing the shape of the target object is challenging because electric inversion is a nonlinear and ill-posed problem. In this work, we present an inverse multiquadric (IMQ) regularization method based on the level set function for reconstructing buried pipelines. In the case of locating underwater objects, the unknown inversion area is split into two parts, the background and the pipeline with known conductivity. The geometry of the pipeline is represented based on the level set function for achieving a noiseless inversion image. To obtain a binary image, the IMQ is used as the regularization term, which 'pushes' the level set function away from 0. We also provide an appropriate method to select the bandwidth and regularization pa-rameters for the IMQ regularization term, resulting in reconstructed images with sharp edges. The simulation results and analysis show that the proposed method performs better than classical inversion methods.     

Horizontal Normal Force on Buried Rigid Pipelines in Fluctuant Liquefied Silty Soil

The submarine pipelines that are buried in the Yellow River subaqueous delta can be subject to fluctuant local-liquefied soil caused by storm wave action, possibly causing pipeline damage. An experimental investigation was carried out in a wave flume to study the horizontal normal force on buried rigid pipelines in fluctuant liquefied soil. In this experiment, the soil bed was made of silt from the Yellow River Delta, whereas a steel pipe served as pipeline. Under the experimental conditions, the normal force range on the pipeline in fluctuant liquefied soil was several times higher than that in stable soil, specifically on the side of the pipeline exposed to the wave direction. The resultant force of the horizontal normal forces on the buried pipeline grew by about one order of magnitude after soil liquefaction.     

Potential submarine geologic hazards at the entrance of the Pearl River Estuary in the northern South China Sea

The potential submarine geologic hazards were distinguished and categorized at the entrance of the Pearl River Estuary in the northern South China Sea, based upon the analysis of side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler surveying data of about 2500 km long, in an area about 2000 km~2 around the Wanshan Archipelago. The data obtained in the survey has the highest spatial resolution by far, which could reveal more detailed distributions and characteristics of the geologic hazards than before. In the study region, three paleo-channels that were buried about 10–30 m below the seabed were found; more than 10 shallow gas areas were discovered. The sand waves found in the region were generally small and located near the islands, and twenty pockmarks found on the seabed were mostly concentrated to north of Zhuzhou island. There are also many man-made obstacles in the region, such as wreckages, pipeline, etc. In this paper we provide a detailed distribution map of the submarine geologic hazards in this region for the first time, and discuss their formation and harmfulness, which will provide a scientific basis for marine engineering construction, marine geologic disaster prevention and mitigation.     

日照市近海海域灾害地质类型及特征分析

日照近岸海域灾害地质类型主要为埋藏下切谷、海底侵蚀、冲刷沟槽和冲刷陡坎及海底抛泥区等。通过对日照海岸带近岸海域的浅地层剖面和水深测量资料,开展主要地震地层界面的追踪和对比,结合沉积物粒度和地球化学特征,对近海海域潜在灾害地质因素进行分析对比,探讨了日照近海海区的灾害地质类型、特征和分布规律,为半岛蓝色经济区的海洋开发提供基础地质资料。     

Experimental study on the distribution of velocity and pressure near a submarine pipeline

As a transport means of oil and gas the submarine pipeline has many merits, such as continuous delivery, large conveying capacity, convenient management, etc. A tube was chosen in our study to simulate the submarine pipeline in the experiments. A high accuracy instrument ADV and high precision point-type pressure sensors were used to measure the parameters of the flow field, including the pressure distribution, velocities at seven cross sections near the submarine pipeline with five different clearance ratios, and twelve dynamic pressure values around the pipeline. The pressure distributions and velocity changes around the pipe under different flow velocities and clearance ratios were analyzed. These results might be useful for further study of submarine pipeline erosion and protection.     

Calculation of the ultimate depth of a scour pit after debris flow through drainage canal ribs

Drainage canals are engineering structures widely used for debris flow mitigation. When passing through a drainage canal, debris flow usually scours the gully bed at the back of the rib sill of the drainage canal, which leads to failure of the rib sill. Therefore, the scour depth at the back of the rib sill is an important design problem and it is related to the economic benefits of engineering and service years. To explore the law of the depth of the scour pit after debris flow through drainage canal ribs, we first proposed a formula for the calculation of the maximum scour depth at the back of a rib sill based on energy conservation. We then conducted a series of simulation experiments to test the proposed formula. The experimental results show that the scour depth, trench slope and the distance between ribs all increase with a decrease in debris flow density. We then compared the results of experiments and formula calculations. Through the testing analysis, we found that the calculation results of the conducted formula correspond with the experimental results better. Finally, taking Qipan Gully as an example, we designed the ultimate depth of a drainage canal for debris flow using the calculation formula.     

沿山脊走向长输油气管道强震动力响应特征

沿山脊走向的长输油气管道在我国西部山区常有分布,强震作用下其动力响应直接关系到管道的安全运营,实际管道工程建设中亟需相关研究结果提供指导。依托云南玉溪龙马槽村段此类输油管道工程,考虑山坡的工程地质特征,对管道与坡体进行整体三维数值建模,采用有限差分方法FLAC3D进行数值模拟,基于汶川地震波,计算得到了水平地震加速度峰值、震后等典型时刻的管道位移、轴力、剪力和弯矩及坡体稳定性等地震动力响应特征。结果表明,管道内力最大值出现于震后时刻,地震作用使管道轴力达到较高水平,而剪力与弯矩值的量级仅占最大轴力的约1%;竖向地震波对管道内力影响较小,管道受力的不利部位出现在其与断层交界附近。地震过程中管道水平方向存在较多的弹性变形,竖向则存在较多的塑性变形,管道累计变形是影响其内力的主要因素,管道内力最大值出现于震后时刻。      

基于MapX寿光市地下管线信息管理系统设计与开发

寿光市地下管线信息管理系统是基于各类管线探测成果,以Maplnfo Professional为基础平台,利用MapX作为开发手段,采用Visual C＋＋6．0可视化程序设计语言开发完成的,实现了数据的输入、输出、编辑、维护和数据库管理及查询分析功能,可实时地为城市规划、建设和管理部门提供决策支持。     

Prediction for potential landslide zones using seismic amplitude in Liwan gas field,northern South China Sea

The Liwan (Lw) gas field located in the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS) is extremely complex for its sea-floor topograghy, which is a huge challenge for the safety of subsea facilities. It is economically impractical to obtain parameters for risk assessment of slope stability through a large amount of sampling over the whole field. The linkage between soil shear strength and seabed peak amplitude derived from 2D/3D seismic data is helpful for understanding the regional slope-instability risk. In this paper, the relationships among seabed peak, acoustic impedance and shear strength of shallow soil in the study area were discussed based on statistical analysis results. We obtained a similar relationship to that obtained in other deep-water areas. There is a positive correlation between seabed peak amplitude and acoustic impedance and an exponential relationship between acoustic impedance and shear strength of sediment. The acoustic impedance is the key factor linking the seismic amplitude and shear strength. Infinite slope stability analysis results indicate the areas have a high potential of shallow landslide on slopes exceeding 15° when the thickness of loose sediments exceeds 8 m in the Lw gas field. Our prediction shows that they are mainly located in the heads and walls of submarine canyons.     

Application of seismic interferometric migration for shallow seismic high precision data processing: A case study in the Shenhu area

The stability of submarine geological structures has a crucial influence on the construction of offshore engineering projects and the exploitation of seabed resources. Marine geologists should possess a detailed understanding of common submarine geological hazards. Current marine seismic exploration methods are based on the most effective detection technologies. Therefore, current research focuses on improving the resolution and precision of shallow stratum structure detection methods. In this article, the feasibility of shallow seismic structure imaging is assessed by building a complex model, and differences between the seismic interferometry imaging method and the traditional imaging method are discussed. The imaging effect of the model is better for shallow layers than for deep layers because coherent noise produced by this method can result in an unsatisfactory imaging effect for deep layers. The seismic interference method has certain advantages for geological structural imaging of shallow submarine strata, which indicates continuous horizontal events, a high resolution, a clear fault, and an obvious structure boundary. The effects of the actual data applied to the Shenhu area can fully illustrate the advantages of the method. Thus, this method has the potential to provide new insights for shallow submarine strata imaging in the area.     

Theoretical Analysis of Bearing Capacity of Shallowly Embeded Rectangular Footing of Marine Structures

In this paper, the finite element analysis software ABAQUS is used to analyze the ultimate bearing capacity of three-dimensional rectangular footing of marine structures. The deformation law and the failure mode of homogeneous seabed soil beneath the rectangular footing are analyzed in detail. According to the equivalent plastic strain of soil under rectangular footing, an allowable velocity field of homogeneous seabed soil is reasonably constructed. Based on the plastic limit analysis theory of soil mass and by using the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion, an upper bound solution of the ultimate bearing capacity of three-dimensional rectangular footing on general homogeneous seabed soil is derived, and a correction factor of ultimate bearing capacity of three-dimensional rectangular footing is given. To verify the rationality and applicability of this theoretical solution, some numerical solutions are achieved using the general-purpose FEM analysis package ABAQUS, and comparisons are made among the derived upper bound solution, the solution of Vesic, and the solution of Salgado et al. The results indicate that the upper bound solution of the three-dimensional shallowly embedded rectangular footing proposed in this paper is accurate in calculating the bearing capacity of homogeneous seabed soil. For undrained saturated clay foundation and sandy foundation with smaller internal friction angle, this upper bound solution can evaluate the ultimate bearing capacity of rectangular footing; with the gradual increase of the internal friction angle of the soil, the ultimate bearing capacity of the proposed upper bound solution is slightly higher than that of the rectangular footing.     

城市燃气管道数字化管理系统方案的框架设计

根据城市燃气管道具有隐蔽性、系统性和动态性,以及点多、线长、面广等特点,考虑城市燃气管网、储配站、CNG加气站、LNG接收站、用户及运营完整性管理各方面需求,探讨数字信息化发展趋势,提出针对城市燃气管网的数字化管理系统的功能要求、总体架构、体系结构、子系统方案的框架设计及系统安全策略,并阐述数据库、项目管理及GIS等系统软件的选型,为城市燃气管道数字化管理系统建设提供参考依据.     

Seabed domes with circular depressions in the North Yellow Sea

Numerous isolated shallow seabed domes with depressions were discovered in the North Yellow Sea in a high-resolution multibeam echosounder survey. Twelve domes were located within a 11 km by 17 km survey area. The domes in this area were between 0.1 m and 1.0 m high with diameters ranging from 250 to 1 700 m. They were surrounded by corresponding depressions and displayed characteristic shapes ranging from circular to elliptical. The acoustic anomalies displayed on the high resolution sub-bottom profile images demonstrated that shallow gas accumulated just beneath these domes, suggesting that the migration and accumulation of the shallow gas caused the formation of these features. Accumulation atop the seabed domes and erosion within the depressions, as indicated by the lithological features of the sediment cores, suggested that seabed bottom currents also played a role in the formation and evolution of these features. In addition, the simultaneous decrease in the chlorite and sulfate content in core d pore water samples confirmed the presence of submarine fresh/brackish groundwater, which is of interest for hydrological budgets and may be a significant component of the regional hydrologic balance. Our findings suggested that shallow gas accumulation and migration are likely coupled to localized groundwater discharge at this domed site.     

Accuracy of the staggered-grid finite-difference method of the acoustic wave equation for marine seismic reflection modeling

Seismic wave modeling is a cornerstone of geophysical data acquisition, processing, and interpretation, for which finite-difference methods are often applied. In this paper, we extend the velocity-pressure formulation of the acoustic wave equation to marine seismic modeling using the staggered-grid finite-difference method. The scheme is developed using a fourth-order spatial and a second-order temporal operator. Then, we define a stability coefficient (SC) and calculate its maximum value under the stability condition. Based on the dispersion relationship, we conduct a detailed dispersion analysis for submarine sediments in terms of the phase and group velocity over a range of angles, stability coefficients, and orders. We also compare the numerical solution with the exact solution for a P-wave line source in a homogeneous submarine model. Additionally, the numerical results determined by a Marmousi2 model with a rugged seafloor indicate that this method is sufficient for modeling complex submarine structures.     

孤永东输油管道穿越改造工程对黄河防洪影响评价

根据防洪影响评价有关规范,对输油管道穿越黄河河道处河势演变情况、主河槽摆动范围、主河槽及滩地冲刷深度等进行深入分析．提出管道穿越河道改造工程有关技术指标,就管道穿越工程对黄河的防洪影响做出综合评价并提出有关防治措施。     

基于改进“移去-恢复”算法的海底地形构建方法研究

为解决源测量数据生成海底地形过程中,数据处理方法影响海底地形精度和分辨率的问题,提出了一种多源水深数据融合方案.在分析DEM、海图水深和多波束测深数据特点的基础上,兼顾不同数据源的优点,克服单一数据源的不足,基于“移去-恢复”算法进行改进,使算法更适用于融合高精度数据源,融合海图水深和多波束测深数据于DEM,构建新的海...     

Study on deformation law of circular foundation under combined loading

The foundations of some ocean engineering structures are built to withstand not only the vertical gravity load V, but also the horizontal load H induced by sea waves and current. The horizontal load includes the concentrated force load, the moment load M, and the torque load T termed also as combined loading. It is of academic and engineering significance to study the deformation law of submarine seabed due to combined loading. On the basis of the three-dimensional elastic mechanics solution of circular foundation, numerical methods are used to analyze the deformation law of submarine soil under circular foundation with six degrees of freedom. The finite element analysis results give the elastic deformation law of soil in three dimensional spaces, modify the theoretical elasticity solution, and presents nonlinear soil deformation mechanism under the circular foundation with six degrees of freedom.