STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF OFFSHORE PIPELINES

Abstract

The present research work deals with an investigation of the structural behavior of offshore pipelines. The thesis sta.is with an introduction including the description of the different types of offshore pipelines and the hazards affecting the stability and strength of the pipelines. A historical review and a literature survey of the past researches dealing with the analysis of offshore pipelines have been presented. A discussion on the various design parameters need to be considered 111 order to ensure pipeline safety either during operation conditions or during installation are included. The most common installation methods which are more suited for cetiain applications are introduced with a description of the equipment used and procedures of installation. The nonlinear static analysis of offshore pipelines is explained in addition to a brief description of an approximate design method used for the analysis. A numerical study is carried out on the pipeline. The effect of some parameters such as, initial barge tension, sea bed soil type, cuuent velocity, wave period and overbend pipe support stiffness, are investigated. The results are illustrated in tables and figures. A summary and conclusion of the present work are carried out.