Seminar - Behnam Shabani - Computational Mechanics of the Wave-Induced Response around Submarine Buried Pipelines

Wednesday 25 October 2006, 1.10 - 1.50 pm
Civil Engineering Lecture Theatre 3

Abstract
Over the past 50 years, submarine pipelines have been widely used for transporting oil and gas from the offshore oilfields or as the shortcut between two points. In shallow waters, where the pipelines are buried within the seabed, the presence of the pipeline will significantly affect the response of the seabed to the wave's dynamic loading; whereas, this may increase the risk of liquefaction or shear failure in a region close to the pipe and consequently leading to the large deformations and failure of the pipeline.

A numerical study is moving forward, to simulate the wave-induced response of the seabed around submarine buried pipelines. Momentary response, residual pore pressure accumulation, the effect of pipe internal stresses, deformation and possible slipping or separation between the soil and the pipe are going to be investigated.

Within the presentation ahead, an overview of the mechanisms underlying the submarine pipelines failure and the simulated momentary response of the seabed around a fixed pipeline will be presented.