Introduction
When a pipeline is laid on the seabed and heated, it will tend to expand. The expansion is resisted by the friction generated by the seabed. When the pipeline is cooled, it contracts but the effects of seabed friction mean that the pipeline ends cannot contract to the original position. On subsequent heatup and shutdown cycles, the pipeline ends cycle between the fully heated position and the cool-down position; this behavior is addressed in the traditional approach to pipeline expansion design.
However, in some cases thermal cycling can be accompanied by global axial movement of the pipeline; this global translation of the whole pipeline is termed pipeline walking. Over a number of start-up and shutdown cycles walking can lead to significant global displacement of the pipeline. Walking itself is not a limit state, but without careful consideration can lead to:
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KW Ltd |
Pipeline Walking |
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Pipeline Walking