Abstract
Adequate design of pipelines used for oil, gas, water, and wastewater transmission is essential not only for their proper operation but particularly to avoid failure and the possible extreme consequences. This is even more drastic in nearshore environments, where pipelines are potentially exposed to extreme hydrodynamic events, such as tsunami- or storm-surge-induced inundation. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), in its ASCE7 Chapter 6 on Tsunami Loads and Effects which is the new standard for tsunami impacts and loading, specifically stresses the need to study loads on pipelines located in tsunami-prone areas. To address this issue, this study is the first of its kind to investigate loading on pipelines due to tsunami-like bores. A comprehensive program of physical model experiments was conducted in the Dam-Break Hydraulic Flume at the University of Ottawa, Canada. The tests simulated on-land tsunami flow inundation propagating over a coastal plain. This allowed to record and investigate the hydrodynamic forces exerted on the pipe due to the tsunami-like, dam-break waves. Different pipe configurations, as well as various flow conditions, were tested to investigate their influence on exerted forces and moments. The goal of this study was to propose, based on the results of this study, resistance and lift coefficients which could be used for the design of pipelines located in tsunami-prone areas. The values of the resistance and lift coefficients investigated were found to be in the range of 1 < CR<3.5 and 0.5 ≤ CL<3, respectively. To that end, the study provides an upper envelope of resistance and lift coefficients over a wide range of Froude numbers for design purposes.
Highlights
Pipelines located in coastal areas are important infrastructures which are used for gas and oil transportation, as well as for conveying and disposing of potable and wastewater, respectively
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association [1] published a report on “pipeline watercourse management” which focuses on damage to pipelines caused by natural hazards and proposes practices to ensure the safety of public and environment in the case of severe damages to operating pipelines in Canada
Several researchers studied the induced forces on pipes placed near seabeds, such as Aristodemo et al [4] who proposed a new numerical model for the estimation of the horizontal and vertical hydrodynamic forces induced on submarine pipelines exposed to non-linear wave and current conditions
Summary
Pipelines located in coastal areas are important infrastructures which are used for gas and oil transportation, as well as for conveying and disposing of potable and wastewater, respectively. To study the hydrodynamic forces exerted on pipelines, understanding the flow behavior around the pipe is critical. The effect of the wall proximity on the exerted hydrodynamic forces, as well as the properties of the vortex shedding on horizontal circular cylinders, made the subject of intense research in the past. Several researchers studied the induced forces on pipes placed near seabeds, such as Aristodemo et al [4] who proposed a new numerical model for the estimation of the horizontal and vertical hydrodynamic forces induced on submarine pipelines exposed to non-linear wave and current conditions. To the authors’ knowledge, no study investigated the loads exerted in the case of tsunami inundation waves impacting horizontal circular cylinders or pipelines, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the characteristics of such loads on the following:. - Above-ground pipelines, placed at a given distance from the ground using supports. - Fully submerged pipelines placed onto or near the ocean or seabed. - Partially submerged pipelines
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