Vortex-Induced (Viv) on Cylindrical Elements of Offshore Structures

• Grant number: 94/03528-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: June 01, 1995
• End date: August 31, 1999
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Naval and Oceanic Engineering
• Principal Investigator: José Augusto Penteado Aranha
• Grantee: José Augusto Penteado Aranha
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 98/02737-9 - Numerical simulation of a fixed and an oscillating circular cylinder in oscillatory flow., AR.EXT; 96/04998-9 - An investigation of the efefct on vortex shedding of a sudden transverse disturbance applied to a circular cylinder., AR.EXT; 95/00054-3 - Steel catenary risers for deep water applications., AR.EXT

Abstract

In this project it is proposed to investigate vortex-induced vibration (VIV) on cylindrical elements of offshore structures, such as risers and oil pipelines. This problem will be studied using three distinct approaches: computational fluid dynamics (CFD), experimental analysis and analytical models. The synthesis of the project is to develop a method of analysis which allows to estimate the fatigue life of risers and oil pipelines exposed to marine currents. The intention of this project is to gather a group of researches who have been involved with VIV and proposed partial solutions to the problem following one of those approaches. The main object is to integrate this effort, and explore complementarily those distinct approaches. In this way, it is expected that many questions raised by the practical engineering problems associate with the exploration of oil in deep waters will be answered. This project is organized in four sections, in which will be developed, in an integrated manner, the topic of VIV. It must be emphasized that the intention of the project is to explore the complementary of those approaches and distinct characteristics of each of those sections. The first two approaches have a strong scientific appeal, where the main goal is to understand the physics and mechanisms of VIV and to compare experiments and numerical simulations. The fourth section has a clear applied motivation, where a software will be developed which will allow the analysis of fatigue life expectancy of risers under usual conditions of operation. The third section has a fundamental role of trying to mediate between the scientific and applied sections. It will try to translate the scientific and relevant aspects of the problem using simplified models of oscillators and subsequently, verify how this model can be incorporated in a practical methodology of analysis. (AU)