Vortex Induced Vibration in Waves and Currents

John Niedzwecki; Scott Chitwood (MS student), and Industry Experts (to be named)

Developing a better understanding of vortex induced vibration of long flexible cylinders (risers and tendons) in combined wave and shear current flows.

Improve response prediction techniques impacting the design of deepwater platforms.

To build a collaborative effort which brings together a team whose expertise encompasses the latest theoretical, experimental, and numerical predictive knowledge to address the improvement of current model. The initial plan includes supporting Dr. Vandiver's current JIP which will provide access to an important computational tool. This will be followed by a series of joint experimental studies at the OTRC and assessment involving additional team members from Industry.

Shell(Allen), EXXON(Burke, Hiedeman), US(Sarpkaya), Great Britain(Bearman,King), OTRC(Miksad, Niedzwecki), and others.

Directed at improving predictive models.

August 1995 to September 1997

Assessment of large scale model tests with combined wave and shear current loading.

An industry project meeting was held on October 29, 1996. Version 2.0 of the flow-induced vibration prediction program, SHEAR7, was delivered to sponsors. Sponsors were shown the setup for the combined current and wave VIV model test, which was conducted during the week of October 29, 1996. The model tests were conducted on a 1.5 inch diameter, 98 foot long model. The tests included tests with full and partial coverage of foil shaped fairings. These, research reports and scholarly papers will result from the research.