Unbonded flexible pipes are widely utilized in the exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources. They are connected to two of the most critical types of system: floating production platforms and underwater production systems. However, if some tensile armor wires are substituted by cables or broken, the tensile armor layer will be incomplete, which seriously reduces the safety and reliability of the flexible pipe. In the present study, models of a flexible pipe with a complete tensile layer and with the tensile layer partially missing were established. The error for the tensile stiffness obtained by the finite element model of an intact flexible pipe was only 1% compared with experimental results. Because the load borne by the inner tensile armor layer is larger under tension than that borne by the outer tensile armor layer, the loss of inner tensile armor wires has a greater impact on the tensile properties. The maximum axial elongation of the flexible pipe increases with the number of missing inner tensile armor wires as a cubic polynomial. If the distribution of the missing armor wires is too dense, a stress concentration and local bending may occur, which will reduce the tensile strength of the flexible pipe.

This paper presents a state-of-the-art digital twin of a hydraulic actuated winch that is used for heave compensation in offshore applications. The digital twin is used as part of a larger simulation model that involves all necessary components to perform lift planning and, subsequently, determine the corresponding weather window. The winch simulation model is described and verified by means of full-scale measurements. In addition, a set of acceptance criteria are presented that should be used whenever verifying digital twins of heave compensating winches that are to be used for lift planning.

Flexible pipes are distinctive multi-layer structures that are designed to resist different loads when they are utilized in severe deep-water environments. However, they lack a special structural layer to withstand torsion. Tensile armors mainly resist torque although they are designed to bear only tension with the consideration of torque balance. Especially, when a flexible pipe is loaded out from the cargo vessel into the installation vessel, twist angle could be accumulated at high level so that some failure modes will occur due to the large torsion. However, the failure mechanism is very complicated owing to the interaction effect between the different layers. First, the interaction mechanism between the layers of flexible pipes is analyzed under large torsion, and a few potential failure modes are identified, such as the tensile armors strength failure and inner structural layers collapse failure. In addition, to offer a quantitative prediction of the maximum allowable twist angle for flexible pipes, a mechanical model is set up to analyze their torsion behavior. The theoretical descriptions of the involved failure behaviors are investigated, and the theoretical methodology of the failure criteria for predicting the torsion resistance capacity is proposed. Finally, a numerical model is established through experimental verification. The numerical results illustrate that the theoretical prediction methodology is conservative, which can be used to predict the torsion resistance capacity of flexible pipes and to guide their operation and installation in engineering.

In this study, effects of damage levels of fiber ropes on the performance of a hybrid taut-wire mooring system are investigated. The analysis is performed using a numerical floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) model with a hybrid mooring system installed in 3000 m of water depth. An in-depth study was conducted using the numerical model, the dynamic stiffness equation of damaged fiber ropes, the time-domain dynamic theory, the rainflow cycle counting method, and the linear damage accumulation rule of Palmgren-Miner. Results indicate that, in a mooring line with an increasing damage level, the maximum tension decreases, while the offset of the FPSO increases. Particularly, when a windward mooring line failure occurs, in addition to the significant increase in the offset of the FPSO, the maximum tension, tension range, and annual fatigue damage levels of the remaining lines adjacent to the failed also increase significantly. The present work can be of great benefit to the evaluation of the offset of the floating platform, the tension response, and the service life of the hybrid mooring systems.

This paper deals with the effect of termination restraint due to end fitting on the stress evaluation of tensile armors in unbonded flexible pipes under axial tension. The problem is characterized by one single armoring tendon helically wound on a cylindrical supporting surface subjected to traction. The deviation from the initial helical angle is taken to describe the armor wire path as the pipe is stretched. The integral of this angle change gives the lateral displacement of the wire, which is determined by minimizing the energy functional that consists of the strain energy due to axial strain, local bending and torsion, and the energy dissipated by friction, leading to a variational problem with a variable endpoint. The governing differential equation of the wire lateral displacement, together with the supplementary condition, is derived using the variational method and solved analytically. The developed model is verified with a finite element (FE) simulation. Comparisons between the model predictions and the FE results in terms of the change in helical angle and transverse bending stress show good correlations. The verified model is then applied to study the effects of imposed tension and friction coefficient on the maximum bending stress. The results show that the response to tension is linear, and friction could significantly increase the stress at the end fitting compared with the frictionless case.

Composite flexible pipe is used in the offshore oil and gas industry for the transport of hydrocarbons, jumpers connecting subsea infrastructure, and risers with surface platforms and facilities. Although the material fabrication costs are high, there are technical advantages with respect to installation and performance envelope (e.g., fatigue). Flexible pipe has a complex, composite section with each layer addressing a specific function (e.g., pressure containment, and axial load). Continuum finite element modeling (FEM) procedures are developed to examine the mechanical response of an unbonded flexible pipe subject to axisymmetric loading conditions. A parameter study examined the effects of: (1) pure torsion, (2) interlayer friction factor, (3) axial tension, and (4) external and internal pressure on the pipe mechanical response. The results demonstrated a coupled global-local mechanism with a bifurcation path for positive angles of twist relative to the tensile armor wire pitch angle. These results indicated that idealized analytical- and structural-based numerical models may be incomplete or may provide an accurate prediction of the pipe mechanical response. The importance of using an implicit solver to predict the bifurcation response and simulate contact mechanics between layers was highlighted.

In this paper, a methodology suitable for assessing the allowable sea states for installation of a transition piece (TP) onto a monopile (MP) foundation with focus on the docking operation is proposed. The TP installation procedure together with numerical analyses is used to identify critical and restricting events and their corresponding limiting parameters. For critical installation phases, existing numerical solutions based on frequency and time domain (TD) analyses of stationary processes are combined to quickly assess characteristic values of dynamic responses of limiting parameters for any given sea state. These results are compared against (nonlinear and nonstationary) time domain simulations of the actual docking operations. It is found that a critical event is the structural damage of the TP's bracket supports due to the potential large impact forces or velocities, and a restricting installation event (not critical) is the unsuccessful mating operation due to large horizontal motions of the TP bottom. By comparing characteristic values of dynamic responses with their allowable limits, the allowable sea states are established. Contact–impact problems are addressed in terms of assumed allowable impact velocities of the colliding objects. A possible automatic motion compensation system and human actions are not modeled. This methodology can also be used in connection with other mating operations such as float-over and topside installation.

This study presents an analytical model of flexible riser and implements it into finite-element software abaqus to investigate the fatigue damage of helical wires near touchdown point (TDP). In the analytical model, the interlayer contact pressure is simulated by setting up springs between adjacent interlayers. The spring stiffness is iteratively updated based on the interlayer penetration and separation conditions in the axisymmetric analysis. During the bending behavior, the axial stress of helical wire along the circumferential direction is traced to determine whether the axial force overcomes the interlayer friction force and thus lead to sliding. Based on the experimental data in the literature, the model is verified. The present study implements this model into abaqus to carry out the global analysis of the catenary flexible riser. In the global analysis, the riser–seabed interaction is simulated by using a hysteretic seabed model in the literature. The effect of the seabed stiffness and interlayer friction on the fatigue damage of helical wire near touchdown point is parametrically studied, and the results indicate that these two aspects significantly affect the helical wire fatigue damage, and the sliding of helical wires should be taken into account in the global analysis for accurate prediction of fatigue damage. Meanwhile, different from the steel catenary riser, high seabed stiffness may not correspond to high fatigue damage of helical wires.

The present paper addresses aspects related to local buckling and instability of tensile armors in flexible pipes. Analytical models for evaluating the tensile armor buckling capacity in both transverse (radial and lateral) directions are presented based on formulating the linearized differential equation describing transverse stability of the thin curved wire assuming no friction. Then analytical models for the ultimate capacity of the outer sheath and antibuckling tape are formulated and a combined criterion for radial instability is proposed based on considering radial buckling of the tensile armor, wire yield failure, and the ultimate capacity of the outer sheath and tape. Thereafter, a study is performed comparing the proposed models with test data and alternative models available in the literature.

In order to study the axial compressive behavior of flexible pipes, a nonlinear tridimensional finite element model was developed. This model recreates a five layer flexible pipe with two tensile armor layers, an external polymeric sheath, an orthotropic high strength tape, and a rigid inner core. Using this model, several studies were conducted to verify the influence of key parameters on the wire instability phenomenon. The pipe sample length can be considered as one of these parameters. This paper includes a detailed description of the finite element model itself and a case study where the length of the pipe is varied. The procedure of this analysis is here described and a case study is presented which shows that the sample length itself has no practical effect on the prebuckling response of the samples and a small effect on the limit force value. The postbuckling response, however, presented high sensitivity to the changes, but its erratic behavior has made impossible to establish a pattern.

Flexible pipes can be used as risers, jumpers, and flowlines that may be subject to axial forces and out-of-plane bending motion due to operational and environmental loading conditions. The tensile armor wires provide axial stiffness to resist these loads. Antibirdcaging tape is used to provide circumferential support and prevent a loss of stability for the tension armor wires, in the radial direction. The antibirdcaging tape may be damaged where a condition known as “wet annulus” occurs that may result in the radial buckling (i.e., birdcaging mechanism) of the tensile armor wires. A three-dimensional continuum finite element (FE) model of a 4 in. flexible pipe is developed using abaqus/implicit software package. As a verification case, the radial buckling response is compared with similar but limited experimental work available in the public domain. The modeling procedures represent an improvement over past studies through the increased number of layers and elements to model contact interactions and failure mechanisms. A limited parameter study highlighted the importance of key factors influencing the radial buckling mechanism that includes external pressure, internal pressure, and damage, related to the percentage of wet annulus. The importance of radial contact pressure and shear stress between layers was also identified. The outcomes may be used to improve guidance in the engineering analysis and design of flexible pipelines and to support the improvement of recommended practices.

This paper presents optimized design geometries of wire sheaves that are used in offshore drilling operations. Seven different design geometries of wire sheaves are considered for this study. The criteria considered in this comparison are utilization ratios of yield and buckling capacities and fatigue life. The constrained used are the self-weight and rotational inertia. The obtained utilization ratios of yield capacity, buckling capacity, and fatigue life against the weight and rotational moment of inertia are finally compared. The comparisons reveal that currently used lightest sheave geometry has very good yield and buckling capacities than all other geometries. But it has high self-weight and rotational inertia. Finally, the web with decreasing thickness which has a lowest rotational inertia is proposed as the most suitable design geometry, if the expected design life is limited to 20 years. Different sheave geometries are also proposed depending on the required design service life.

This paper deals with a nonlinear three-dimensional finite element (FE) model capable of predicting the mechanical response of flexible pipes subjected to axisymmetric loads focusing on their axial compression response. Moreover, in order to validate this model, experimental tests are also described. In these tests, a typical 4 in. flexible pipe was subjected to axial compression until its failure is reached. Radial and axial displacements were measured and compared to the model predictions. The good agreement between all results points out that the proposed FE model is effective to estimate the response of flexible pipes to axial compression and; furthermore, has potential to be employed in the identification of the failure modes related to excessive axial compression as well as in the mechanical analysis of flexible pipes under other types of loads.

This paper presents a “state-of-the-art” development in time domain dynamic simulation of 3D bending hysteresis behavior of a flexible riser under offshore environment loading. The main technical challenge is to understand and model the riser tensile armor behavior under continuous changes in both the magnitude and direction of bending, and its subsequent impact on the riser’s bending hysteresis characteristics. On account of this technical obstacle, the current industry practice is to model the riser as a linear structure, with certain conservatism enforced, and then to extract the global dynamic loads to a detailed local model for stress and life assessment. Two 3D flexible riser bending hysteresis models developed by Wellstream and Orcina are introduced in this paper, with their calibrations against the bending hysteresis loops measured in full scale tests. Both models are implemented using the analysis program ORCAFLEX . The Wellstream model is a detailed model that calculates both the total bending moment and the stresses in the tensile armor, whereas the Orcina model is a simpler model that only calculates the total bending moment. The study presented illustrates the difference in riser dynamic responses with and without consideration of the bending hysteresis behavior and assesses the difference in dynamic responses between the Wellstream and Orcina 3D bending hysteresis models. This development permits the modeling of more realistic riser structural properties in the dynamic simulation and reports detailed time history stress or strain results for strength components of the riser, and so expands the current practice of riser fatigue analysis, which uses the regular wave approach only, to using an irregular wave approach employing the rainflow counting method.

As the offshore industry moves towards deeper water developments and continues to embrace harsh environments, unbonded flexible pipes are increasingly being utilized as a cost effective riser solution. Furthermore, with the advent of issues such as nonpristine annuli environments, the fatigue performance of these flexible risers is becoming a critical issue. This paper presents an overview of the comparisons between deterministic and stochastic global fatigue analysis techniques. Methods used to perform both deterministic and stochastic analyses are outlined, from performing the global analyses to using local models to generate armor wire stresses and subsequent fatigue damage. The paper identifies the key issues in the analysis performed and presents key results and conclusions with regard to the characterization of the wave environment in the global fatigue analysis of flexible risers.

The design of power transmission lines requires a knowledge of combined wind and ice loading and of the dynamic behavior of wires loaded with ice accretion. The calculation of the wind forces, in turn, imposes a need for a more detailed computer model for determining glaze accretion shape. For this purpose, a computer model of glaze accretion on wires, was developed. It is based on experimental results in the area of ice accretion on wires, as well as on results in the related field of the glaze ice accretion on airfoils. The model incorporates the time dependent on feedback between the growing accretion and the air stream, the variation of the heat transfer coefficient around the cylinder, and the surface runback of water. The main components of the model are the computation of the air flow field, the computation of the impingement water at the control volume level, the solving of the heat balance equation, and the computation of the accretion shape on the wire. The surface air velocity is obtained through the solution of the potential flow around the iced wire and wake, followed by the integration on the surface of the laminar boundary layer. The water flux is computed in each control Volume down to the separation point. The heat balance equation derived from the energy equation is solved to determine the freezing fraction and the resulting modified ice surface geometry.

A primary consideration in the welding of structures for service in Canadian offshore and arctic regions is the toughness of weld metals required at very low ambient temperatures (−30°C to −60°C). To assess the suitability of cored wires for applications in these environments, some currently available commercial consumables for the flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) process were evaluated. Cored wires belonging to four different categories: basic, rutile, metal-cored and innershield, were used to prepare welds with similar welding procedures. Weld metal Charpy V-notch (CVN) and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) tests were carried out and the effect of weld metal composition, microstructure and inclusion content in the weld metal toughness was examined. The Charpy transition temperatures and the CTOD toughness results indicated that, of the 16 wires tested, there were only seven that would be suitable for critical applications.

Steel cables play an important role in many offshore applications. In many cases, an understanding of the magnitude and pattern of bending stresses in the individual component wires of a bent strand is essential for minimizing the risk of their failure under operating conditions. Following previously reported experimental observations, a theoretical model is proposed for obtaining the magnitude of wire bending stresses in a multi-layered and axially preloaded spiral strand fixed at one end and subsequently bent to a constant radius of curvature. The individual wire bending stresses are shown to be composed of two components. The first component is the axial stress generated in the wires due to interwire/interlayer shear interactions between the wires in a bent cable, and the second component is associated with the wires bending about their own axes. Using the theoretical model, which includes the effects of interwire friction, parametric studies on a number of realistic helical strands with widely different cable (and wire) diameters and lay angles subjected to a range of practical mean axial loads, and subsequently bent to a range of radii of curvature with one end of the cable fixed against rotation, have been carried out. It is shown that for most practical applications, the axial component of wire stresses due to friction is much greater than the second component of bending stresses associated with the individual wires bending about their own axes.

This describes the first phase of an effort to develop a robot crane for shipbuilding applications. The focus of this phase is on the study of the stiffness characteristics of this robot as a function of its geometry payload and height. A brief description of the design of the main part of the robot crane consisting of a six-wire parallel link manipulator is given. The stiffness of the manipulator to side loads and moments was studied. The nonlinear and linearized mathematical model of the manipulator stiffness matrix is derived. Stiffness measurement tests were conducted using a small size laboratory model. The results of these tests for various external loads, heights, and payloads are given. Computer simulation and theoretical results are also discussed.

Cables and wire ropes are known to both elongate and reduce diametrically during their lifetime. The relationship between cable elongation and cable life has been observed for many years and includes three distinct stages. The first, the constructional stretch stage, occurs early in the cable’s use and is mostly the result of the core compressing and the cable elements fitting closely together. The second stage of the cable’s life is referred to as the normal life stretch stage and is a much more gradual occurrence in which wear is the most dominant mechanism. The third stage includes a rapid elongation and indicates impending failure. The current study offers a simplified explanation on the effect of wear in cables. This work utilizes the recently developed theory for wire ropes and cables in which the cable is considered to be a collection of thin helical wires and the equations of equilibrium for bending and twisting of thin rods are applied. A simple cable cross section is considered and the effects of wear on cable stiffness, diameter reduction and individual wire strains are evaluated. It is determined that cable stiffness can actually increase for small amounts of wire wear due to the disparity between the changes in the geometric and elastic stiffness components with wear.