Effect of internal flow on vortex-induced vibration of risers

Abstract

Although there are many studies dedicated to the problem of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of marine risers, VIV experiments with internally flowing fluid have not been carried out before. In order to investigate this area, the present experiment with an internally flowing fluid and external current was designed. The riser was towed in the water flume with varying internal flow speeds. The tests in still water and in a current were conducted successfully. Various measurements were obtained including the frequency responses and the time-domain tracing of in-line and cross-flow responses. The experimental results exhibit several valuable features. First, with an increase in internal flow speed, the response amplitude increases while the vibration frequency decreases. Secondly, internally flowing fluid lessens the correlation of the vibration between different sections. In addition, by plotting both in-line strain and cross-flow strain simultaneously, a figure-of-eight for bending strain is also observed, and the trajectories in different cycles are more concordant with the increase of internal flow speed.