Numerical simulation in time domain to study cross-flow VIV of catenary riser subject to vessel motion-induced oscillatory current

Abstract

The present study proposes a time domain model for the Vortex-induced Vibration (VIV) simulation of a catenary riser under the combination of the current and oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion. In this model, the hydrodynamic force of VIV comprises excitation force, hydrodynamic damping and added mass, which are taken as functions of the non-dimensional frequency and amplitude ratio. The non-dimensional frequency is related with the response frequency, natural frequency, lock-in range and the fluid velocity. The relatively oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion is taken into account in the fluid velocity. Considering that the added mass coefficient and the non-dimensional frequency can affect each other, an iterative analysis is conducted at each time step to update the added mass coefficient and the natural frequency. This model is in detail validated against the published test models. The results show that the model can reasonably reflect the effect of the added mass coefficient on the VIV, and can well predict the riser’s VIV under stationary and oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion. Based on the model, this study carries out the VIV simulation of a catenary riser with harmonic vessel motion. By analyzing the bending moment near the touchdown point, it is found that under the combination of the ocean current and oscillatory flow the vessel motion may decrease the VIV response, while increase the excited frequencies. In addition, the decreasing rate of the VIV under vessel surge is larger than that under vessel heave at small vessel motion velocity, while the situation becomes opposite at large vessel motion velocity.