Heave Motion Induced Vortex-Induced Vibrations of a Full-Scale Steel Lazy Wave Riser

Abstract

Deepwater steel lazy wave risers (SLWR) subject to vessel motion will be exposed to time-varying oscillatory flow, vortices could be generated and the cyclic vortex-shedding force causes the structure vibrate, such fluid–structure interaction is called vortex-induced vibrations (VIV). To investigate VIV on a riser with nonlinear structures under vessel motion and oscillatory flows, time-domain approaches are needed. In this study, a time-domain approach is used to simulate a full-scale SLWR. Two cases with simplified riser top motions are simulated numerically. By using default input parameters to the time-domain approach, the key oscillatory flow induced VIV response characteristics such as response frequency, curvature, and displacements are examined and discussed. More accurate VIV prediction could be achieved by using realistic hydrodynamic inputs into the time domain model.