Reynolds Number Effects on the Vortex-Induced Vibration of Flexible Marine Risers

Abstract

This paper explores the Reynolds number dependence of the Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) of flexible marine risers. Emphasis is placed on revealing the trends that exist between the Strouhal number and the Reynolds number and between the dimensionless amplitude (A/D) and Reynolds number. Data is drawn from recent towing tank experiments which used flexible cylinders of three different diameters. The 38m long pipes were exposed to uniform and sheared currents. The Reynolds number range extended from approximately 5,000 to 220,000 — well into the critical regime — with the larger diameter pipes responding in up to the 13th mode and the smaller diameter pipe responding well above the 20th mode. The results and trends from this set of experiments are compared to previous results from laboratory and field experiments.