This paper presents a novel approach for approximate calculation of the fatigue damage from vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) of marine risers. The method is based on experience from a large number of laboratory tests with models of full-length risers, large-scale tests and also full-scale measurements. The method is intended to provide a conservative result and be used for screening purposes at the early design stage. The model is in particular aimed at predicting fatigue for risers that respond at very high mode orders (above 10), but may as well yield valid results for lower mode numbers. The model will, however, not be adequate for free span pipelines or other structures that normally will respond at first and second mode. The riser will be defined in terms of some key parameters like length, weight, tension, hydrodynamic diameter and stress diameter. A current profile perpendicular to the riser in one plane must be known. The program will apply a simple model for calculation of eigenfrequencies and mode shapes, and these are sorted into in-line (IL) and cross-flow (CF) bins. An effective current velocity and excitation length can be defined from the profile and will be applied to identify the dominating cross-flow response frequency and the total displacement rms value. The dominating in-line response frequency is taken as twice the cross-flow frequency, and inline response rms is taken as a given portion of the cross-flow rms value. A set of contributing modes is defined from an assumed frequency bandwidth that reflects observed bandwidths, but also modal composition for cases with discrete frequency response. A simple mode superposition technique is then used to find the set of modes that gives the identified rms values. Bending stresses will be found directly from the curvature of the mode shapes. Fatigue damage will be found from stress rms values, user defined stress concentration factor and given SN curves. The model has been implemented in a simple computer program and verified by comparing results to measurements. The ambition has not been to obtain an exact match between computed results and observations, but to verify that the model gives reasonable but conservative results in almost all cases. However, an unrealistic over prediction of the fatigue damage is not desired. The results are promising, but the need for more information from measurements and response analyses with programs like VIVANA and SHEAR7 is still obvious.
The Effect of Shifting Natural Frequency on the Reduction of Vortex-Induced Vibrations of Marine Risers
