Experimental and Numerical Study of Heave-Induced Lateral Motion (HILM)

Experiments were carried out at IFREMER Brest to obtain data on the displacement of Steel Catenary Risers (SCR) in the Touch-Down Zone (TDZ) induced by top motion. Measurements were conducted both in the section on the ground (2D motion) and in the section above the touch-down point (3D motion) with an optical tracking system. In the model test, the bottom 1/10 of the riser was represented at a scale of about 1/10. The present paper is focusing on Heave-Induced Lateral Motion (HILM) in the bottom part of the riser. The model riser is based on a full scale case which is first described. Based on Froude’s similitude, the geometrical characteristics of the model are derived. The tracking system and the various instrumentation are then detailed. In the last section, experimental results on one specific case are presented. Numerical calculations with a coupled fluid/structure solver are performed. A comparison for the amplitude and frequencies of HILM is presented. Comments are made on the analogy between the present experiments and some simpler experiments on a one-degree-of-freedom cylinder/spring system sinusoidally excited. Such an analogy should prove itself very fruitful in understanding and quantifying HILM.© 2005 ASME