Reducing Underwater-Slide Impact Forces on Pipelines by Streamlining

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.