Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 125-135 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Ocean Engineering |
| Volume | 148 |
| Early online date | 20 Nov 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Jan 2018 |
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Keywords
- Offshore pipeline ploughing
- Physical modelling
- Sand
- Slopes
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The performance of pipeline ploughs traversing seabed slopes. / Bransby, Mark (Lead / Corresponding author); Barlow, David T; Brown, Michael; Davidson, John; Brankin, Stuart; Robinson, Scott.
In: Ocean Engineering, Vol. 148, 15.01.2018, p. 125-135.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The performance of pipeline ploughs traversing seabed slopes
AU - Bransby, Mark
AU - Barlow, David T
AU - Brown, Michael
AU - Davidson, John
AU - Brankin, Stuart
AU - Robinson, Scott
N1 - no funding info
PY - 2018/1/15
Y1 - 2018/1/15
N2 - Ploughing is a method used to bury pipelines beneath the seabed. In this method, a large purpose built plough is pulled by a support vessel to create a trench into which a pipeline is lowered. The soil that has been removed is then placed or back filled over the pipeline to provide thermal insulation, protective cover and to prevent upheaval buckling (UHB) due to pipeline thermal expansion. The majority of previous research effort has focussed on the behaviour of ploughs on level seabeds and has not investigated common geohazards such as sloping seabeds. There is also limited guidance available to industry on the limitations of ploughing on slopes. This paper reports a series of experimental tests conducted to investigate how ploughs may behave when seabed slopes are encountered and ploughing has to traverse cross-slope. The results show that ploughing operations can still be undertaken when traversing a slope but that the efficiency of operations is reduced with increasing slope inclination, leading to a reduction of trench depth and spoil heap sizes on steeper slopes. This may result in reduced pipeline cover depths on slopes if these effects cannot be mitigated.
AB - Ploughing is a method used to bury pipelines beneath the seabed. In this method, a large purpose built plough is pulled by a support vessel to create a trench into which a pipeline is lowered. The soil that has been removed is then placed or back filled over the pipeline to provide thermal insulation, protective cover and to prevent upheaval buckling (UHB) due to pipeline thermal expansion. The majority of previous research effort has focussed on the behaviour of ploughs on level seabeds and has not investigated common geohazards such as sloping seabeds. There is also limited guidance available to industry on the limitations of ploughing on slopes. This paper reports a series of experimental tests conducted to investigate how ploughs may behave when seabed slopes are encountered and ploughing has to traverse cross-slope. The results show that ploughing operations can still be undertaken when traversing a slope but that the efficiency of operations is reduced with increasing slope inclination, leading to a reduction of trench depth and spoil heap sizes on steeper slopes. This may result in reduced pipeline cover depths on slopes if these effects cannot be mitigated.
KW - Offshore pipeline ploughing
KW - Physical modelling
KW - Sand
KW - Slopes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85034220234&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.11.028
DO - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.11.028
M3 - Article
VL - 148
SP - 125
EP - 135
JO - Ocean Engineering
JF - Ocean Engineering
SN - 0029-8018
ER -