Vortex-induced vibration of flexible pipe fitted with helical strakes in oscillatory flow

Abstract

Helical strakes are widely used to suppress vortex-induced vibration (VIV) in offshore engineering. However, the VIV response and suppression efficiency of the straked pipe remain unclear in an oscillatory flow. In this paper, an experimental study of VIV for a flexible pipe fitted with helical strakes was conducted in an oscillatory flow with the Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) number varying from 21 to 165 and maximum reduced velocities ranging from 4 to 12. The effects of the helical strakes on the VIV response, Strouhal number, suppression efficiency and fatigue damage in an oscillatory flow were investigated. The results show that the suppression efficiency and fatigue damage reduction ratio are not as ideal in oscillatory flow as those in steady flow. Moreover, the VIV dominant frequency is obviously magnified and a large Strouhal number is observed, reaching 0.439 under a lower reduced velocity of 4. As the reduced velocity further increases to 6, 8, 12, two branches of Strouhal numbers are clearly seen. The dominant frequency decreases at the first branch with a small KC number and increases at the second branch with a large KC number.