Torsion Instability of Offshore Cables During Installation Available to Purchase

The present paper addresses torsion instability at the touch down point during installation of offshore cables and flexible pipes. A model for installation instability analysis is established on the basis of standard co-rotated beam elements. The model is validated with respect to the Greenhill analytical solution as well as results obtained for the linear elastic case reported in literature. A case study is then carried out to investigate the effects of cross-section friction moment, inherent torque and vessel motion. This is then used as basis for a proposed design criteria and recommended analysis procedures for evaluating kink formation of offshore flexibles during installation.