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AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF

SUBSEA CONCRETE ARTICULATING MATTRESSES






Tegan Kay
Department of Maritime Engineering
Australian Maritime College
Launceston, TAS, Australia

Dr Irene Penesis
Department of Maritime Engineering
Australian Maritime College
Launceston, TAS, Australia
Jackson Dryne


Engineering Department
Sea-Struct Pty Ltd
North Fremantle, WA, Australia


Abstract:
A series of experimental tests have recently been performed on Sea-Structs SEAMAT 500 series
mattress system to directly measure the acting drag and lift forces. Previously coefficients of lift
and drag have been assumed and estimated from documented experimental hydrodynamic work
on cylinders. The tests were performed at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) in Tasmania
utilizing the universitys Flume Tank. The uses of Morisons equation allowed the coefficients of
drag and lift to be found as a result of the recorded hydrodynamic effects on the mattress. Both lift
and drag components are examined in this document. The results from during the experiment give
direct hydrodynamic properties for the SEAMAT 500 Series and hence should be considered
during future stabilization analysis design as no existing data has been present until now.

Corresponding author, jdryne@sea-struct.com.au


Introduction:
The easiest and most accurate way of finding the lift or drag co-efficient of an object has always
been by conducting physical tests in a fully controlled environment (ie. flume tank or wind tunnel),
here we can set a known flow velocity, and measure the direct lift and drag force produced.
Through division, we can finally arrive at a value for the lift and drag coefficient from equations 1-1
and 1-2 respectively.

A V
F
C
L
L
2
2

=
, Equation 1-1
A V
F
C
D
D
2
2

=
Equation 1-2
Whereby;
L
F ,
D
F , ,V , A refer to; lift force, drag force, density of fluid flow, velocity of fluid flow
and projected area respectively.
The important matching parameter for viscosity is the Reynolds number. The Reynolds number
expresses the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces. Since the model was actually built from the
fully sized 500 SERIES SEAMAT shells the Reynolds number of the experimental model and the
physical model are identical, thus correctly modeling the effects of the viscous forces relative to the
inertial forces.

Description of the model:
The pre-casting 500 series SEAMAT shells were clipped together to make up an articulating
mattress size of 1500 x 2500 x 500mm (see figure 1-1 below). The width and length of the
mattress included 3 No. of 500mm blocks and 5 No. of 500mm blocks respectively. By
maximizing the footprint to these dimensions meant the flow profile between and over each row
would simulate the real-life physical situation.

Figure 1-1 Artist impression of 1500x2500x500mm SEAMAT model
Normally the shells are filled with concrete to act as ballast for either stabilizing or protecting
subsea pipelines or umbilicals. For the purpose of these tests there was no need to fill the internal
volume with any matter as lift and drag is dependant on the shape and size of an object. The
shells are constructed of Polypropylene (PP) having an approximate density of 915kg/m3. The top
and bottom of each block was capped with a vinyl sheeting to fully seal each block to help create a
similar flow over the whole mattress to that of a mattress cast with concrete. Due to the shells
being less dense than water the mattress was positively buoyant and was strung from an
underneath aluminum plate by a series of force transducers. The aluminum plate simulated the
seabed and was located in the very centre of the fume tank to avoid any boundary layer effects
cause by the walls and floor of the tank. Picture 1-1 shows the model prior to entering the flume
tank.


Picture 1-1 Apparatus just before deploying into the Flume Tank

Picture 1-2 shows the side of the mattress as viewed from the perspex window. The flow direction
in relation to this picture is from left to right. There were front and rear horizontal bridles which
were pre-tensioned before any testing commenced so that all of the vertical load cells were
perpendicular to the flow. The forward bridle had an inline force transducer that measured the total
drag of the system.

Picture 1-2 Submerged mattress viewed from perspex viewing window
Before each test commenced all load cells were calibrated. Due to the mattress being buoyant
each 450N load cell immediately registered a voltage. The initial static value of each load cell was
recorded so that it could be subtracted off the dynamic measurements.

Modeling results:
The Flume Tank can produce any flow velocity from 0 to 1.3m/s. Given the size of the mattress the
flow regime according to Reynolds Number for the apparatus ranged thru subcritical to transcritical.
The total lift along the first set of blocks is of most interest as the leading edge is the first to receive
the flow. A low pressure region is then present along the top of the mattress creating maximum lift
at the front which gradually diminished along the length of the mattress (see Figure 1-2).

Figure 1-2 Profile view of apparatus and location of the low pressure region
Two measurements were taken from either side of the front edge so that an average lift force per
block could be obtained. After converting the voltage gain of the transducer to force the lift
coefficient could be then found by using equation 1-1 for each of the 10 various velocities ranging
from 01.3m/s. Graph 1-1 shows the measured lift coefficients of the leading edge with respect to
Reynolds Number. These results have been superimposed over a lift coefficients vs Reynolds
number graph for cylinders with various Keulegan Carpenter Parameters.
Lift coefficient vs Reynolds number
LEADING EDGE 500 T2 Block

Graph 1-1 Lift coefficient vs Reynolds number
Coefficient of Lift vs Flow Velocity
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.000 0.200 0.400 0.600 0.800 1.000 1.200 1.400 1.600
Flow velocity v (m/s)
C
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t

o
f

L
i
f
t

C
L
Leading edge
2nd Row
3rd Row

Graph 1-2 Lift coefficient vs Velocity (m/s)
Graph 1-2 represents lift coefficients for the various flow velocities. Shown in the above diagram
are the average result for the leading edge, 2
nd
row and 3
rd
row of the mattress.

The below figure shows the various drag coefficients observed from the different flow regimes.
Also in the figure 1-3 the drag coefficient of the SEAMAT500 block is compared with various other
objects.

Graph 1-3 Drag coefficient vs Reynolds Number

Discussions:
It is quite interesting that from Graph 1-2 that the 3
rd
row has a greater coefficient of lift at lower
velocities. This could be due to a combination of the low velocity flow and each row displacing
irregularly and impinging on the next to possibly decrease the tension in the 2
nd
row of force
transducers. It could also be a true result explaining that there is more lift on the 3
rd
row at lower
Reynolds numbers. An optimization of the model attachments or an ink flow test would help unfold
this occurrence. Otherwise the results seem consistent once the velocity is increased past 0.6m/s.
The model test results shown here within are aimed to provide the industry with physical data from
full scale model tests. In the past, quite high lift coefficients have been assumed when designing
SEAMAT due to limited information available hence values have been conservative. The drag
coefficients shown in Graph 1-3 seems very reasonable when comparing the drag curve of the
SEAMAT500 block to other objects. The results showed that the SEAMAT500 block lies between
a flat plate and a circle. The physical shape of the SEAMAT500 is basically a makeup of a flat
plate and curved edges hence the results seem realistic.

This research has helped gauge the controversial phenomenon of mattress edge lift whereby the
lift coefficient can be less conservative. Furthering research will include full 3D computational fluid
dynamics in ANSYS 10.0 CFX. By moving toward CFD, results from any flow angle will be most
accurate and easily obtainable once the correct model are in place. Shortly all ranges of SEAMAT
will be tested so that future design of any mattress size can be presented as the most cost effective
and stable solution for the client.

Acknowledgements:
This work was conducted under the sponsorship of SEA-STRUCT PTY LTD. Sea-Struct would like
to thank all efforts from the AMC. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Alan Faulkner and the
Flume Tank facility staff for their support during the model test

References:
[1] Ranmutugala, D. (2003) Fluid Mechanics, Australian Maritime College, p. 3-3

[2] Chakrabarti, S.K., 1994, Offshore structure modeling, Advance Series on Ocean
Engineering 9, World Scientific.
[3] Kay, T.K., 2006, Investigations in the hydrodynamics and SEAMAT-Soil Interaction of
Conrete Stabilizing Pipe Mattresses, Final Year Thesis, Department of Martime Engineering,
Australian Maritime College

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