Time Scale for Scour Beneath Pipelines Due to Long-Crested and Short-Crested Nonlinear Random Waves Plus Current

This article derives the time scale of pipeline scour caused by 2D (long-crested) and 3D (short-crested) nonlinear irregular waves and current for wave-dominant flow. The motivation is to provide a simple engineering tool suitable to use when assessing the time scale of equilibrium pipeline scour for these flow conditions. The method assumes the random wave process to be stationary and narrow banded adopting a distribution of the wave crest height representing 2D and 3D nonlinear irregular waves and a time scale formula for regular waves plus current. The presented results cover a range of random waves plus current flow conditions for which the method is valid. Results for typical field conditions are also presented. A possible application of the outcome of this study is that, e.g., consulting engineers can use it as part of assessing the on-bottom stability of seabed pipelines.

Automated summary

This article derives the time scale of pipeline scour caused by 2D and 3D nonlinear irregular waves and current for wave-dominant flow, providing a simple engineering tool for assessing equilibrium pipeline scour. The method assumes the random wave process to be stationary and narrow banded, applicable to a range of random waves plus current flow conditions.