Prediction of Combined IL and CF VIV Response of Deepwater Risers

Abstract

Deepwater risers are susceptible to Vortex Induced Vibrations (VIV) when subjected to currents. When responding at high modes, fatigue damage the in in-line (IL) direction may become equally important as the cross-flow (CF) components. If a riser experiences directional currents, fatigue damage must be evaluated at several locations on the cross-section’s circumference. Accurate calculation of both IL and CF responses are therefore needed. Empirical VIV prediction programs, such as VIVANA, SHEAR7 and VIVA, are the most common tools used by the offshore industry to design against VIV loads. Progress has been seen in the prediction of CF responses. Efforts have also been made to include an IL load model in VIVANA. A set of excitation coefficient parameters were obtained from rigid cylinder test and adjusted using measured responses of one of the flexible cylinder VIV tests. This set of excitation coefficient parameters is still considered preliminary and further validation is required. Without an accurate IL response prediction, a conservative approach in VIV analysis has to be followed, i.e. all current profiles have to assumed to be uni-directional or acting in the same direction. The purpose of the present paper is to provide a reliable combined IL and CF load model for the empirical VIV prediction programs. VIV prediction using the existing combined IL and CF load model in VIVANA is validated against selected flexible cylinder test data. A case study of a deepwater top tension riser (TTR) has been carried out. The results indicate VIV fatigue damage 1 using 2D directional current profiles is less conservative compared to the traditional way of using unidirectional current profiles.