Flexible pipe in abaqus

[Fanaticos]

Hi,

Im trying to model a flexible pipe using beam/pipe elements in abaqus. With flexible I mean a pipe with high axial stiffness, but low bending stiffness. I know I can model a beam general section and define I11, I22, I12 separately and that way get the behavour I want. But I also need to apply internal pressure in the pipe and this can only be done for pipe or elbow elements in abaqus.

Any tips on how to model this?

 

[Zenan]

Hi Fanaticos

I've never tried to model flexible pipes in Abaqus, but I've heard that it's very difficult. However, there are specialised softwares that can deal with flexible pipes such as Flexcom and Ocraflex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexcom

Hope this helps,
Senan

 

[n3l3]

Hi

As far as I know you could do that with a shell element modelling the pipe and apply a pressure in the interior of the pipe.
NLGEOM option activated is obligated in this case.

cheers

 

[Fanaticos]

Thanks for your answers.

I am familiar with the orcaflex, but my analysis is complicated in later stages and orcaflex can not handle that as far as I understand. And I have no expirience with orvcaflex either.

Shell elements would be nice, but my model is 350m long, so its not really an option, has to be beam/elbow elements.

I have though found a way where I use mpc to tie the pipe element to a beam general section element, and by applying dummy stiffness to the pipe element, I can use the general beam section to get the axial and bending stiffness I wish. Its fairly complicated, but it works, and I have performed comparison with analytic solutions.

Fanaticos