Benchmarking of VIV numerical analysis with prototype response for fatigue assessment of inverse catenary coldwater pipelines

• Published in: SN applied sciences 2023-03, Vol.5 (3), p.94-11, Article 94
• Main Authors: Saravanan, R., Bhattacharyya, S. K., Ramanamurthy, M. V. R., Panneer Selvam, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied and Technical Physics; Benchmarks; Catenaries; Chemistry/Food Science; Damage assessment; Desalination; Desalination plants; Earth Sciences; Engineering; Environment; Fatigue damage; Fatigue failure; Fatigue life; Frequency analysis; HDPE pipeline; High density polyethylenes; In-line vibration; Islands; Low temperature; Materials fatigue; Materials Science; Mathematical models; Metal fatigue; Numerical analysis; Oscillations; Parameters; Pipeline design; Prototypes; Reliability analysis; Research Article; Sheared current; Steel pipes; Strakes; Underwater pipelines; Underwater structures; Vibration analysis; VIV; Vortex-induced vibrations
• ISSN: 2523-3963; 2523-3971
• DOI: 10.1007/s42452-023-05311-0

High density polyethylene pipe has been used to draw coldwater for low temperature thermal desalination plants since the year 2006 at Lakshadweep Islands, India. The pipeline endured in-line oscillations due to shear current in one of the desalination plants, and this gave an opportunity to observe the response parameters of the prototype pipeline. The recorded oscillation parameters are utilized as a benchmark to verify the results of the vortex induced vibration (VIV) analysis in frequency domain and time domain, and the results show good concurrence. The in-line fatigue damage assessment is carried out for a range of current profiles showing the need for mitigation of pipeline VIV. The helical strakes on a partial length of the pipeline is modeled numerically showing significant suppression of VIV response as well as substantial increase in fatigue life of the pipeline. The benchmarking of the VIV response analysis with prototype measurements enhances the reliability of using numerical VIV fatigue analysis and mitigation measures. Article Highlights The oscillations of a submarine pipeline subjected to current loads that is varying along the depth are measured in the field (prototype), which is unique and valuable data that is sparsely or seldom available. Using numerical analysis this problem is analysed to replicate the field oscillations due to variable current to enhance the confidence of mathematical models. The high oscillations in the direction of the current can induce damage within the design life of the pipeline and therefore adopt measures to bring down the oscillations to acceptable level by providing external attachments on the pipeline.