Local scour and self-burial of a submarine pipeline on cohesive seabed

摘要

A submarine pipeline on cohesive seabed was investigated using an integrated surveyingrnsystem, including a dual-frequency side-scan sonar, a high resolution sub-bottomrnprofiler, and a swath sounder system. By analyzing the pipeline field investigation data,rnthe concepts of ‘side scour’ and ‘down scour’ were proposed for the local scour aroundrnsubmarine pipelines in cohesive beds, which probably result from tidal currents andrnhurricane-induced currents respectively. The submarine pipeline in the deep waterrnregime (with water depth > 37m) possibly buried itself due to hydrodynamic effects,rnsubmerged weight and the side scour. The maximum burial depth of the pipeline was therntotal effects of that caused by gravity and the side scour respectively, while the laterrneffect corresponds well with the maximum side scour depth.