Development of a constitutive model to simulate unbounded flexible composite riser pipe elements
Student's name: Mr. Ali Bahtui
First supervisor: Dr. Hamid Bahai
Second Supervisor: Dr. Giulio Alfano
Funded by: Lloyds Register
Project details: This project conducts parametric studies of the factors that influence the strength and stiffness of unbonded flexible risers, which are difficult to conduct under laboratory test conditions due to physical size of the risers and also due to the special experimental equipments required to conduct such tests. These tests are therefore usually considered to be too expensive and time consuming. This study will result in a parametric constitutive model which can be incorporated into software codes for risers.
Detailed finite element model will be developed and utilised as a virtual testing machine to efficiently conduct parametric studies on the unbonded flexible riser and predict its behaviour under various loading conditions such as tension, torsion and bending moment. Using the numerical approach, physical experimental test will only be required as ‘one-off’ checks to validate the virtual model.
This constitutive model enables cost-effective parametric investigations, which can in turn lead to improved riser design.
