An efficient linearised dynamic analysis method for structural safety design of J-lay and S-lay pipeline installation

Abstract

In this paper, we propose an efficient linearised dynamic analysis method for structural safety design of J-lay and S-lay pipeline installation. By utilising finite element method and minimum energy principle, time domain equation of motion for pipeline is formulated. For efficient analysis, linearised beam element is utilised along with the equilibrium state of catenary and pretension due to its own weight to retain analysis accuracy. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method are compared with the former developed nonlinear method based on the catenary element which considers axial, bending and torsional stiffness. Numerical examples of J-lay and S-lay pipeline installation are introduced to demonstrate the developed method. Accuracy is verified by analysing maximum and root mean square values of bending moment and tension. By comparing computational costs, efficiency is also shown. Furthermore, discussion on the applicability of the proposed method for structural safety design is made.