ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 1 of 6
GUIDANCE NOTE LECTURE 12 THERMAL EXPANSION ANALYSIS
OVERVIEW
The calculation procedure for determining the longitudinal pipeline response can be formulated on the
basis of strain. The longitudinal strain component can be determined through linear superposition of
Poisson effect due to internal pressure (
p
), thermal expansion effects (
T
), soil restraint (
s
), and residual
lay tension (
H
). The corresponding pipeline axial or longitudinal displacement can be obtained by
integrating the strain expression over the pipeline length. For the present analysis, the hoop stress can be
defined by the expression,

h
=
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
2t
(12.1)

The longitudinal stress component may or may not be statically determinate and is dependent on the
imposed boundary condition. The boundary conditions can include the effects of soil reaction loads,
anchor restraints, linepipe bend resistance and residual pipelay tension forces.

Using Hookes law, the longitudinal stressstrain relationships can be defined as:

(12.2)

where
E

Elastic or Youngs modulus (typical: E = 207GPa)

Poissons ratio (typical: = 0.3)
Coefficient of thermal expansion (typical: = 1.1710
-5
m/m/C)
Temperature differential

The operating temperature profile for pipeline transportation systems is not constant along the length. The
temperature gradient is dependent on a number of factors that include product type (i.e. oil or gas),
internal pressure profile, physical thermal properties (e.g. coating, pipeline and soil), metocean conditions
(e.g. temperature, current speed) and pipeline cover (e.g. entrenched, or non-entrenched). One objective
of a flow assurance study is to determine the pipeline pressure and temperature profile. The thermal
gradient can be idealised by an exponential decay function,

(12.3)

where

o
Initial temperature differential at the origin (x = 0)
e

Exponential function
ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 2 of 6
x Distance along pipeline from origin
Temperature decay length factor,
Product mass flow rate
c Product specific heat
q Rate of heat transfer

The analysis must evaluate the pipeline response on a systematic basis and consider the loading history
for the respective loading conditions such as:

Prior to installation
As-laid
Flooded
Hydrotest
Operation
Change in operational parameters
Shut-in
Shutdown and restart

The fundamental expressions to determine the pipeline behaviour in terms of the circumferential and
longitudinal stress-strain response, longitudinal reaction loads and longitudinal pipeline displacement are
presented.
FULL AXIAL RESTRAINT BOUNDARY CONDITION
A fully end constrained boundary condition can occur at an anchor block or pig trap, and Pipeline End
Manifold (PLEM) or Pipeline End Termination (PLET) sled. For a fully end constrained pipeline, the
longitudinal strain (
l
= 0) and deflection ( = 0) components are zero and the longitudinal stress response
can be determined from Equation (12.1) and Equation (12.2) assuming a constant, uniform temperature
field,

l
=
h
E
o
=
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
2t
E
o
(12.4)

Equation (12.4) represents the true through wall thickness stress in the pipeline and the true through wall
thickness pipeline force can be determined by multiplying Equation (12.4) by the linepipe cross-sectional
are12.
END FREE BOUNDARY CONDITION
An end free boundary condition can occur at locations where no physical longitudinal restraint exists; for
example at a riser bend extending from the seabed to the production platform. Since the pipeline is not
restrained axially, the Poisson effect and thermal expansion component does not produce stress in the
linepipe. The pipeline longitudinal stress is only due to the end cap effect (Equation 2.5),
ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 3 of 6

l
=
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
4t
(12.5)

Combining Equation (12.1) and Equation (12.5) into the longitudinal stressstrain relationship (Equation
12.2), and assuming a constant, uniform temperature field the longitudinal strain component is,

l
=
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
4t E
1 2 ( ) +
o
(12.6)

Assuming a freefree end boundary condition, the longitudinal deflection at the pipeline end is,

A = r
l
dx =
L
2
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
4t E
1 2v ( ) + o
o

1
]
1
L
[
(12.7)

The expression for deflection (Equation 12.7) assumes that the pipeline at midspan does not move.
PARTIAL RESTRAINT BOUNDARY CONDITION
An intermediate situation occurs where the longitudinal pipeline response is partially restrained by
frictional resistance. A partially restrained boundary condition can occur with pipelines resting on the
seabed near the tie-in location with risers or expansion spools, pipelines fully buried within a trench or
pipelines resting on frictional guides and supports.

For soil/pipeline interaction events, typically a virtual anchor point exists at some distance away from the
riser tie-in location with the riser or expansion spool whether or not the pipeline is fully buried. As shown
in Figure 12.1, the anchor point represents a position on the pipeline such that axial displacement is fully
restrained. Frictional resistance has integrated sufficient force along the anchor length to restrain axial
movement. The distance required to develop the anchor point is dependent on the extent of contact,
frictional coefficients and normal stress at the soil/pipeline interface. In general, frictional guides or
supports do not develop a virtual anchor point but can influence the pipeline stressstrain response.

In the transition zone, the pipeline is in static equilibrium between the longitudinal pipeline wall force,
longitudinal pressure force on the product or contents and the seabed frictional force. The horizontal
shear force in the vertical riser segment is typically not considered in the expansion stress analysis.

The sum of longitudinal forces can be defined as,

F
x
= f x +
l
A
e
A
i
( ) p
i
A
i
p
e
A
e
( ) = 0 (12.8)



ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 4 of 6
where
f

Frictional resistance force per unit length
x

Pipeline length

Thus the equilibrium equation can be expressed in terms of the longitudinal stress,

l
=
p
i
A p
e
A
e
( ) fx
A
e
A
i
( )
(12.9)


Figure 12.1 Isometric of Subsea Riser Tie-in Expansion Spool.
ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 5 of 6

Based on compatibility and stress boundary requirements at anchor point, the longitudinal stress can also
be defined by Equation (12.4). Equating the expression in Equation (12.4) with Equation (12.9) yields,

(12.10)

Thus, the distance to the anchor point from the free end of the pipeline, which is typically the riser or
expansion spool tie-in location, can be defined as,

x
x=z
=
1
f
p
i
A
i
p
e
A
e
( ) A
e
A
i
( ) vo
h
Eo
o
( )

1
]
(12.11)

The maximum pipeline axial strain can be determined by substituting Equation (12.9) into Equation (12.2),
which yields,

r
l
=
1
E
p
i
A
i
p
e
A
e
( )
A
e
A
i
( )
v
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
( )
2t

1
]
1
+ o
o

f
E A
e
A
i
( )
x (12.12)

The maximum deflection can be determined by integrating the expression (12.12) over the pipeline length
required to mobilize the anchor point (x = z),

A =
1
E
p
i
A
i
p
e
A
e
( )
A
e
A
i
( )
v
p
i
D
i
p
e
D
e
( )
2t

1
]
1
x + o
o
x
f
E A
e
A
i
( )
x
2
(12.13)

The expressions can be simplified through consideration of the idealised geometric pipeline properties for
a thin wall pipeline, where the mean radius is defined as R =
1
2
D
e
t ( ) .

The hoop stress equation yields,

(12.14)

The longitudinal stress component is,

(12.15)

ENGI 8673 Subsea Pipeline Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Shawn Kenny, Ph.D., P.Eng. Winter 2009

Guidance Note Lecture 12 Thermal Expansion Analysis Page 6 of 6
Substituting (12.14) in Equation (12.4) yields,

(12.16)

Equating (12.15) and (12.16) yields the distance to the anchor point from the free end of the pipeline,

(12.17)

Substituting Equation (12.14) and Equation (12.15) into Equation (12.2), the longitudinal strain expression
can be expressed as,

(12.18)

and the axial displacement can be expressed as,

(12.19)