Numerical analysis of lateral – Moment capacity of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbine in sand

This paper reports the lateral – moment bearing capacity of bucket foundations under lateral loading in sand. The Modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) model is adopted to capture the hardening – softening behaviour in medium dense and dense sands within a finite element (FE) modelling framework. The FE model performance is assessed against available field test data as well as analytical solutions showing a relatively good agreement. A series of parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of bucket aspect ratio, bucket diameter, load eccentricity, vertical load and relative density of sand on the lateral - moment bearing capacity of the bucket. Comparisons are drawn between the conventional Mohr-Coulomb (MC) model and the stress dependent MMC model highlighting the role of sand dilatancy in mobilising the lateral moment capacity. Based on the FE results, a simple stepwise calculation framework is proposed for two scenarios: (i) to predict the lateral - moment bearing capacity of the bucket if the bucket dimensions are known, and (ii) to design the bucket dimensions for a known required bucket capacity.     

Numerical analysis of vortex-induced vibration on a flexible cantilever riser for deep-sea mining system

The flexible cantilever riser, as a special form of the marine riser, can be encountered in a deep-sea mining system, where the bottom of the long vertical lifting pipeline is connected with the intermediate warehouse. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of the bottom weight caused by the intermediate warehouse and the flow speed on the dynamic responses of the cantilever pipeline. A quasi-3D coupling algorithm based on the discrete vortex method and finite element method is employed to calculate the unsteady hydrodynamic forces and vortex-induced vibrations of this pipeline in the time domain, respectively. We first simulate the VIV of a long flexible riser with two fixed ends in a stepped flow to validate the feasibility of the present method. Then, systematic simulations of cross-flow VIV of the cantilever riser are carried out under a wide range of bottom weights and different current speeds. The number of the vibration mode shows the decreasing tendency with the increase of the bottom weight. In a certain range of the weight, the number of the dominant mode remains unchanged, while the vibration amplitude declines with increasing weight. An amplitude jump phenomenon can be observed when the transition of the dominant mode in two contiguous mode clusters occurs. Moreover, the higher-order modes are excited with the increase of the current speed.     

Numerical investigation of the collapse pressure of concentric tubes with frictionless and tied interface

The understanding and study of the mechanical behavior of submarine pipes have significant relevance in ocean exploration, allowing the application of these structures in adverse conditions. In this sense, protecting the tube's internal surface is vital for the transportation of corrosive materials, threatening structural integrity. Usually, the external surface is at constant hydrostatic pressure, leading to possible structural failure if the project does not consider all failure modes. Within the framework of Metallurgically Cladded Pipes (MCP) and Mechanically Lined Pipes (MLP), Corrosion-Resistant Alloys (CRAs) are inserted in the internal surface of pipelines. However, they are not typically deemed in the structural analysis as an integrant part of the mechanical resistance for the external load. This work presents an initial analytical proposal to calculate the collapse pressure of concentric tubes incorporating the rigidity provided by the CRA. Tied or frictionless numerical models are assumed to describe the interaction between the two bodies at the interface region. These two scenarios establish the upper and lower boundaries for cases where friction is part of the problem. The methodology applies a least-square minimization function based on nonlinear finite element simulations to extract analytical expressions that estimate the collapse pressure. An effort is made to reduce the number of sensitive parameters involved in the analytical proposals and minimize the complexity of the formulation. This process allows the analyst to visualize which parameters are more relevant in various scenarios. Nevertheless, the main goal is to evaluate how the variables are coupled and develop a methodology that can be adapted to reproduce the analyst's necessities.     

A finite element methodology for birdcaging analysis of flexible pipes with damaged outer layers

Flexible pipes are commonly exposed to damages on the outer layers due to abrasion with seafloor or improper installation and operation, which may render them vulnerable to birdcaging failures. This paper presents a finite element model for the residual axial compressive strength evaluation of a flexible pipe with local damage on the outer layers. The elastoplastic nonlinearity of tensile armour steel layers and hyperelasticity of polymeric outer sheath are taken into account. This model is verified against existing test data. Parametric studies are then performed by varying the damage size in either the pipe axial or circumferential directions. The flexible pipe axial resistance, deformations, as well as the tensile armour wires layers stress states near the damaged section under different damage and axial compression conditions are discussed. The case studies show that damage on the outer layer, especially the anti-birdcage tape layer, is highly detrimental to flexible pipe residual strength against axial compression. The present results and discussions are instructive in understanding the flexible pipe birdcaging mechanism.     

Planar multibody dynamics of floating Y-method installation system and the lowering of subsea equipment based on finite element modeling

The subsea equipment installation is a complex operation that demands a precise and reliable approach to avoid the accidental losses of lives and equipment damage. The multibody installation system is overwhelmed with the dynamic behavior and responses of the system, which signifies the importance of analysis of the Multibody Dynamic System (MBDS). The modeling of MBDS is challenging and complicated due to the interconnectivity and nonlinearity assigned to them. In this paper, the planar dynamics of a floating multibody system are attained by employing two tugboats and a payload with a contextual offshore installation scenario to be applied in a water depth of over 1500 m. The lifting operation is nine degrees of freedom (9-DOF) multibody model done with the help of two strands and three bodies having 3-DOF each. The coupled equations of motion are established by deploying the Velocity Transformation Technique. The hydrodynamic and two-strand forces are simplified as linear, while the hydrostatic and mooring forces are treated as nonlinear external loads. The numerical solution to the equations for the MBDS is obtained from the Runge Kutta Method of Fourth-Order. Furthermore, the Finite Element Modeling approach discusses the installation operation using Y-method. The results of the proposed numerical model are validated by comparing it with the numerical simulation from OrcaFlex, and the results from both models are found to be in good agreement. The findings of this study will help improve the safe and stable installation of deep-water multibody structures.