Session: 04-01-03 Flexible Pipes and Umbilicals III

Submission Number: 157463

Fatigue Performance of Unbonded Flexible Pipes With Advanced Material Layers 

This study investigates the fatigue performance of an unbonded flexible pipe designed with advanced material layers, emphasizing its structural stability and degradation behavior under simulated loading conditions. A comprehensive numerical simulation framework was developed to replicate the pipe's response to cyclic fatigue loads, integrating a preliminary damaging phase to evaluate its residual performance and ability to withstand operational performance.

The modeling approach accounts for the nonlinear mechanical properties of the advanced material layers, including their behavior and interlayer interactions under dynamic loading. Special attention was given to accurately simulate the pipe's response to multi-axial stress states, representative of real-world operational conditions in offshore environments.

The results demonstrated that the unbonded flexible pipe maintained excellent structural stability, with no signs of degradation, even after undergoing the initial damaging phase. Consistent load-displacement behavior and negligible stiffness reduction were observed across an extended number of cycles, underscoring the ability of the advanced materials to endure harsh and repetitive loading scenarios. Furthermore, the results highlighted the pipe’s capacity to retain its mechanical integrity, suggesting it is well-suited for prolonged service life in demanding applications.

These findings emphasize the suitability of unbonded flexible pipes with enhanced material configurations for critical applications, offering valuable insights into design parameters for improved fatigue performance and long-term reliability. By providing a methodology for predicting performance, this study contributes to advancing the development of next-generation flexible pipelines tailored to the stringent demands of the oil and gas industry.

Presenting Author: Marcelo Miyazaki TechnipFMC

Presenting Author Biography: Marcelo Noboro Ralim Miyazaki is an R&D Engineer at TechnipFMC, specializing in conventional and hybrid flexible pipes. He holds a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, focusing on stress analysis under the plastic domain of flexible pipe tensile armor wires.

Marcelo has contributed significantly to the qualification of flexible pipes for pre-salt applications and has presented his research at international conferences like OMAE. His expertise includes finite element analysis, fatigue and corrosion analysis, and developing innovative solutions for the oil and gas industry.

Proficient in English, Portuguese, and French, Marcelo collaborates effectively with global teams, advancing engineering knowledge and improving flexible pipe systems' safety and efficiency.