Dynamic Buckling and Fluid-Structure Interaction of Submerged Tubular Structures

Abstract

Dynamic buckling of submerged structures is a challenging problem for which experimental data is scarce and generalized theoretical models are difficult to employ. In addition to the complexities of dynamic buckling, this problem features additional difficulties due to the strong fluid–solid interaction that is characteristic of structures submerged in a dense fluid. This chapter reviews some recent experiments in which time-resolved measurements of pressure and strain were made during the buckling of submerged tubes. This data clarifies the buckling behavior over a useful range of conditions and provides a means to validate theoretical models with a rigor not possible using post-collapse measurements alone. Observations from the experiments are then used to develop simple models of buckling and fluid–structure interaction; comparisons with the experimental data demonstrate good agreement in spite of the many simplifications used in the modeling.

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