Scour Propagation Rates around Offshore Pipelines Exposed to Currents by Applying Data-Driven Models

Abstract

Offshore pipelines are occasionally exposed to scouring processes; detrimental impacts on their safety are inevitable. The process of scouring propagation around offshore pipelines is naturally complex and is mainly due to currents and/or waves. There is a considerable demand for the safe design of offshore pipelines exposed to scouring phenomena. Therefore, scouring propagation patterns must be focused on. In the present research, machine learning (ML) models are applied to achieve equations for the prediction of the scouring propagation rate around pipelines due to currents. The approaching flow Froude number, the ratio of embedment depth to pipeline diameter, the Shields parameter, and the current angle of attack to the pipeline were considered the main dimensionless factors from the reliable literature. ML models were developed based on various setting parameters and optimization strategies coming from evolutionary and classification contents. Moreover, the explicit equations yielded from ML models were used to demonstrate how the proposed approaches are in harmony with experimental observations. The performance of ML models was assessed utilizing statistical benchmarks. The results revealed that the equations given by ML models provided reliable and physically consistent predictions of scouring propagation rates regarding their comparison with scouring tests.