Postbuckling Analysis of Snaked Lay Pipelines Based on a New Deformation Shape

Abstract

Lateral buckling must be considered in exposed HP/HT pipeline design. The snakedlay method is an effective lateral buckling control method, a new deformation shape of snakedlay pipeline is presented, and a control criterion of offset angle is also presented. When the offset angle is small or offset angle is large while the pipeline length of snakedlay is too short or long, the maximum moments of postbuckling pipeline are large. For these problems, a new controlling method combined with snakedlay and sleeper is proposed, which is named the SS method. Using Ansys, a nonlinear finite element model considering the interaction of seabedsleeperpipeline is established. The SS method is proved to be feasible to control lateral buckling for submarine pipelines. Based on critical axial compressive force and maximum bending moment, a design criterion of sleeper height is suggested.