Graham Viecelli

Advanced post-processing of FE Analyses:

3D sub-modelling for subsea pipelines
AOG Focus on Technology
Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, 20th February 2014

Experience that Delivers

Experience that Delivers

Sub-modelling for pipelines

Subsea pipeline design

Identify the peak stress & strain (tensile and compressive) plus stress
ranges at the girth weld governing location for design
Account for:
All potential temperature and pressure loads during installation, pre-startup, operation and decommissioning
Coatings, field joints, CRA clad or liner material
In-line structures (TEE, WYE, reducer, valves, anchors etc)
External factors (pipe-soil interaction, trawling interaction, counteracts,
other pipelines, anchors, dropped objects)
Any other case-specific issues that influence the pipeline structural
response
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Design assumptions
Simple geometry a pipe is just a cylinder after all!
Homogeneous material only the steel pipe is structural
Flanges, TEEs, WYEs, buckle arrestors, reducers only affect the
submerged weight
Stress and strain concentration can be accounted for later by applying
factors

Numerical representation of a pipeline

PIPE31H beam element
Section Points

Element features

Integration Point

Based on Timoshenko shear flexible

non-linear beam theory
Consists of 2 nodes with 6 degrees of
freedom, a single integration point
and at least 8 section points around
the pipe circumference

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1
3

Nodes

Illustration of a PIPE31H beam element

indicating the location of the integration
point and section points
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Fully validated element response

against numerous experimental tests
within the limits of non-linear beam
theory

Design assumptions
Simple geometry a pipe is just a cylinder after all!
What about the weld? Field joints? Misalignment or ovality?
Homogeneous material only the steel pipe is structural
What about CRA liner/clad, thick insulation or CWC?
Flanges, TEEs, WYEs, buckle arrestors, reducers only affect the submerged
weight
Thick, dense structures are also incredibly stiff
Stress and strain concentration can be accounted for later by applying factors
True, but what about ovalisation or local deformation
Will high bending strains affect the fluid flow?
Can you pass a pig through the pipe under design operating conditions?
Do conservative SCF / SNCF influence the ECA results?
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3D pipeline design problems

Calculating strain concentration

Typical design approach

Assume simplified geometry
-

Full cohesion between layers

No weld geometry at field joint

Assume simplified loads

Or wrinkling of lined pipe

Pure axial or bending, not both

Internal pressure on pipe wall

only, end cap force only applied at
ends

Ignore operational configuration

-

Initial conditions include; straight

pipe, virgin material

How can sub-modelling help?

Global model/analysis

BMW Crash testing

An initial analysis is performed
including the whole car
Many simplifications are included to
reduce the model complexity and
analysis run-time

Sub-model
Smaller sections are analysed using
sub-modelling to confirm the
behaviour in the global analysis

Taken from Migration of Crash

Simulation Software at BMW, 2005
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Even the passengers can be

modelled!

How can sub-modelling help?

Airplane components

Airbus A380 design and testing

The design process for this aircraft
represented a step-change in design
challenges
Experimental testing was prohibitively
expensive design relied heavily on
numerical modelling
Multiple analysis levels (global
models and sub-models) were used
to obtain the aircraft structural
response

Taken from AIRBUS Central Entity, 2005

Sub-modelling overview
1.

Using a coarse model of the pipeline, perform a global analysis

(The global analysis defines the overall structural response of the pipeline)

2.

Smaller sections of pipe may be analysed using sub-models each submodel is driven by the output of the global analysis
The sub-model is a more accurate representation of the pipe section, and may
include additional materials and/or geometry as required.

3.

Multiple sub-model analyses may be performed on the same global analysis

4.

A sub-model analysis can also be used as a global analysis

Global pipeline
model

Sub-Model analysis sequence

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3D sub-model is driven by the output

from the global analysis:
o Nodal displacements and rotation
or
o Nodal forces and moments or
o Combination of the above
Additional details may be added:
o Geometric features
o Additional materials
o Local loads
o In-line structures

Sub-model advantages & limitations

Advantages:
o
o
o
o

Greater accuracy in stress and strain

Include geometric and material interactions
Can be performed many times on the same global analysis
Computationally cheap

Limitations:
o The global analysis must be an adequate representation of the structural
response (i.e. the stiffness of the sub-model should reasonably match the
same section in the global model)

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Sub-model applications
Multiple sub-models

Sub-model 1

Design considerations
Global analysis

Initial global analysis defines the

overall pipeline structural response
First sub-model allows 3D
visualisation of the stress and further
sub-modelling
Second sub-model captures the weld
geometry and material properties

Sub-model 2

Sub-model 3
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Third sub-model can recreate test

specimens for model / material
calibration and testing

Sub-model applications
Apex of a lateral buckle with CWC

Design considerations
Stiffness of the CWC is captured in
the global analysis
Field joints are also included as
regions devoid of concrete.
No need for SNCF!!
Strain output from global
analysis already captures increase
due to presence of coatings.

Figure illustrates the stress distribution 12m

either side of the apex of a lateral buckle
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3D analysis computationally cheap,

analysis time for single load cycle <
1.5 hours.

Sub-model applications
Apex of a lateral buckle with CWC
Global Analysis

Sub-Model Analysis

Animation illustrates the strain distribution 12m either side of the apex
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Sub-model applications
Pipe-joint misalignment

Design considerations
Misalignment not included in global
analysis.
Pipe-joint
misalignment

Figure illustrates the stress

distribution 3m either side of the
apex of a lateral buckle

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Stress concentration can now be

based on known (as built) pipe
geometry under design conditions;
can compare with analytical
calculation in DNV-OS-F101.
3D analysis computationally cheap,
analysis time for single load cycle <
10 minutes.

Applications
Buckle arrestor design

Design considerations
Sub-model can be used to
assist in buckle arrestor
design.
Increase confidence in the
ability of a buckle arrestor to
halt propagating buckles
under a variety of design
conditions.

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Installation case study

Model overview
Global analysis

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Sub-model analysis

Installation case study

Initiate a local buckle
Global analysis

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Sub-model analysis

Installation case study

Local buckle initiated in the submodel only
Sub-model boundary conditions from
the global analysis provide support to
the pipeline during this unstable
process
Buckle propagation measured to be
faster than 200 m/s!

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Installation case study

Buckle propagation ends near the stinger
Global analysis

Propagating

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Sub-model analysis

Installation case study

Cut view of the pipeline as
(approximately) viewed from the end
of the stinger
The local buckle propagates up the
catenary, eventually running out of
steam as it approaches the stinger

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Installation case study

Buckle arrestor stops buckle progression
Global analysis

Propagating

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Sub-model analysis

Installation case study

As viewed downstream from the
buckle arrestor
The local buckle propagates down
the catenary and along the laid
pipeline until it reaches the buckle
arrestor. Propagation is then halted
by the buckle arrestor a
satisfactory design!

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Summary
Sub-modelling is an established method for obtaining highly accurate results from finite
element analyses
Sub-model analyses are fast and stable, and offer the most efficient method for modelling a
3D pipeline under all operational loads
Wood Group Kenny has developed an ABAQUS GUI plug-in capable of sub-modelling
pipeline FEA. Model development is fast, accessible to non-FEA engineers and capable of
performing many different pipeline design analyses.
Acknowledgements
David Timmins, Rotger Jost, Terry Griffiths & Andrew Rathbone
Further questions:
graham.viecelli@woodgroupkenny.com
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