Numerical Simulation of Pipeline Scour and Sedimentation around Submerged Pipelines with an Open-Source Multiphase-CFD Model

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study on pipeline scour and sedimentation phenomena using an open-source multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. The research focuses on understanding the complex interactions between fluid flow, sediment transport, and scour formation around submerged pipelines. The proposed analysis aims to enhance the understanding of scour development and sedimentation deposition, which is crucial for the design, operation, and maintenance of various engineering structures, including offshore pipelines and underwater infrastructure. The results show that the model exhibits the ability to compute sediment transport without depending on traditional assumptions related to bed-load and suspended-load layers. The simulation results affirm the model's proficiency in replicating the underlying mechanisms accountable for the onset of these processes, notably seepage flow and piping. Furthermore, this model can successfully depict the vortex phenomenon, which promotes the accumulation of sediment around the pipe. This phenomenon arises from the contrast in pressure between the centre of the vortex and the pressure exerted on the sediment beneath it.