The Scouring of Underwater Pipelines - Dissertation Example

4. Results & Analysis 264.1 Scour propagation rates 264.2 Impact of scour length on pipe durability 275. Discussions 326. Conclusions & recommendations 34 5.2 Conclusions 34 5.3 Recommendations 35 7. References. 371. Introduction1.1 Scour and the reasons for its occurrence. Scour is a natural phenomenon that occurs below all the underwater structures like bridge piers, vertical pilings, seawalls, break water structures and pipelines. Scouring of structures could cause extensive damage that reduces the functionality of the project itself.

From the various field observations and research works undertaken the various reason that often lead to scour under most of the marine structures are numerous. The scour under most of the marine structures result from any of the following reasons or in combination with any of them (Hughes, n.d.). As the waves get reflected after striking the obstruction lying underneath results in the increase of orbital velocity. This increase in the orbital velocity leads to the initiation of scour and as the velocity continues to exist the scour too deepens.

Alignment of structures beneath the water generates totally different pattern of redirected waves. These redirected waves and current tends to accelerate the flow and results in scouring of the sediments. In some of the situations the downward directed breaking wave tend to pool the sediments to a particular location .The structures could also constrict the flow conditions prevailing earlier. As the space available to flow is reduced this could result in the accelerated flow and hence disturb the sediments from its natural state and tend to start the scouring phenomenon.

When the water is made to flow of any. Scour is a natural phenomenon that occurs below all the underwater structures like bridge piers, vertical pilings, seawalls, break water structures and pipelines. Scouring of structures could cause extensive damage that reduces the functionality of the project itself. From the various field observations and research works undertaken the various reason that often lead to scour under most of the marine structures are numerous. The scour under most of the marine structures result from any of the following reasons or in combination with any of them (Hughes, n.d.).

 As the waves get reflected after striking the obstruction lying underneath results in the increase of orbital velocity. This increase in the orbital velocity leads to the initiation of scour and as the velocity continues to exist the scour too deepens.  Alignment of structures beneath the water generates totally different pattern of redirected waves. These redirected waves and current tends to accelerate the flow and results in scouring of the sediments. In some of the situations the downward directed breaking wave tend to pool the sediments to a particular location .

 The structures could also constrict the flow conditions prevailing earlier. As the space available to flow is reduced this could result in the accelerated flow and hence disturb the sediments from its natural state and tend to start the scouring phenomenon.  When the water is made to flow of any of the submerged bodies tendency of flow separation could be observed.