Do Winkler Models Work: A Case Study for Ice Scour Problem

The Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) Finite Element (FE) ice scour model and two Winkler models are applied to different diameter pipes. One of the Winkler models is based on an empirical scour displacement function. The second Winkler model utilizes the soil displacements obtained from the continuum ALE model. The results from the Winkler models show that the strains and displacements experienced by the pipe are subject to large variations depending on how the soil is characterized. The results also illustrate that there are significant differences in the displacements and strains predicted by the ALE and Winkler models. It is shown that the Winkler models can be sometimes conservative and sometimes they calculate strains and displacements less than those predicted by the continuum ALE model.