L51644 Effect of Buckle Arrestors on Pipeline Failure During Pipelaying Operation

Submarine pipelines are usually laid from the ocean surface onto the ocean floor using specially designed ships and barges. Lengths of pipes are welded together on board the barge to form the pipeline and then the pipeline is passed over a ramp called a stinger on its way to the ocean floor. A constant tension force is applied to the pipeline on the barge to prevent it from buckling as it approaches the ocean floor. For thin wall pipes, the high stresses could result in local buckling of the pipeline.

This report describes ananalytical and experimental research study to determine the effect of buckle arrestors on stresses and buckling behavior of submarine pipelines during their installation.