Reducing Underwater-Slide Impact Forces on Pipelines by Streamlining
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 2
Abstract
Results are presented from experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations involving the streamlining of suspended underwater pipelines or structures subject to impacts from sediment/water mixtures. The experiments showed that a considerable reduction in force may be achieved by streamlining, and this reduction in force is most significant at lower Reynolds numbers. Several shapes were tested: round, airfoil, and wedge. Of these, the wedge exhibited the lowest drag coefficient—about one-fifth of the cylindrical pipe at low values of the Reynolds number, and about half at higher Reynolds numbers.
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Acknowledgments
Several students at USMMA were very helpful in performing this work, in particular Midshipmen Evan Kilpatrick, Matthew Faulks, Alex Osigian, Jackie Bernat, Christopher Frobenius, and Frank Hlatky. The author is also very grateful to Dr. Yvonne Traynham and Dr. Nagy Hussein for their insight and helpful suggestions throughout this study. Grateful thanks are also expressed to Mr. Don Gill, Ms. Marion Brazeil, and Ms. Alexis Ramos of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy for their continuing support.
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© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Mar 2, 2011
Accepted: Jul 12, 2011
Published online: Jul 14, 2011
Published in print: Mar 1, 2012
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