Étude expérimentale de l’interaction entre les fonds marins et les pipelines flexibles soumis à la houle et aux courants

Abstract

Experimental study of interaction between soil and flexible pipeline exposed to wave and current actions Abstract Uncovered submarine pipelines resting on seabed are subject to hydrodynamic forces generated by wave and current actions. These forces, which tend to destabilize or move the pipe, are counterbalanced by the interaction of the pipe with the soil. To ensure the stability of these pipelines, their design requires a realistic estimation of these two external forces. In this context, a comprehensive research program has been carried out by Coflexip society and laboratoire Sols, Solides, Structures of Grenoble to investigate pipe-soil interaction. This paper presents the results of a series of full scale pipe-soil interaction tests which constitute the first part of this research program. These tests have been carried out with a testing apparatus in which hydrodynamic forces under real pipeline sections are applied by means of mechanical jacks. In these experiments, the pipeline was resting either on a clayey or a sandy soil. The testing parameters were the nature and density of the soil, the pipe diameter, the pipeline loading and the history of loading. An assessment of their relative Influence on both pipeline self burial and soil lateral resistance is presented. Based on the results of the experimental study, an analytical model is proposed for evaluating soil lateral resistance.

Fluid-Soil-Structure Interaction in Liquefaction around a Cyclically Moving Cylinder

“…They proposed guidelines for the lateral resistance of the pipes and design criteria for their stability. A previous experimental program had been conducted at the University of Grenoble by Branque et al (2001Branque et al ( , 2002 to quantify the influence of the cyclic amplitude and the density of the sand on the penetration of the pipe and the evolution of the lateral soil resistance. The effects of pipe weight and diameter were also considered.…”