Hydrodynamic forces on a near-bed offshore pipeline with spoiler, during the selfburying process

TLDR: In this article, a configuration pipe with a spoiler induces a radical change in the flow around the pipeline, and the effects occur in both the morphological and hydrodynamic sense, in order to prevent offshore submarine pipelines from damage by fishing gear and excessive wave and current forces.

Abstract: To prevent offshore submarine pipelines from damage by fishing gear, the formation of dangerous free-spans and excessive wave and current forces, it is a requirement that these pipelines are completely buried under the seabed. Usually pipelines are buried artificially by means of ploughing, digging or jetting in order to meet the requirements of authorities of a minimum cover of about one meter (Dutch government). A spoiler is a plastic fin which is attached in the longitudinal direction on top of the pipeline. Relative to a plain pipe the configuration pipe with spoiler induces a radical change in the flow around the pipeline. The effects are twofold: changes occur in both the morphological and the hydrodynamic sense.