EQUILIBRIUM OF OFFSHORE CABLES AND PIPELINES DURING LAYING.

An efficient solution technique for determination of the static equilibrium form of a cable or a pipeline suspended between the ocean floor and a laying barge or a stinger is presented. Variations in bending stiffness, weight and buoyancy and forces due to ocean current are taken into account. The governing non-linear boundary value problem is transformed into a non-dimensional form such that the a priori unknown suspended length of the pipeline or cable acts as a scaling parameter. The numerical solution is then based on successive integrations. The application of the method is illustrated by the analysis of equilibrium curves and stresses in pipelines laid with or without the use of stingers and during abandon and recovery operations.