Seabed Scour and Buried-Pipelines Deformation Due to Ice Ridges. Phase I Report

摘要

Scour of the Arctic seabed has long been identified as a potentially catastrophic environmental hazard for marine pipelines. A moving ice ridge can scour the soil and destroy a pipeline in its path. In contrast to upheaval buckling, another phenomenon of grave concern, in which, the relevant (thermal) load is longitudinal, the effects of ice-ridge scouring are associated with lateral loads on pipelines. Also, while upheaval buckling can be prevented by means of heavy (rock or other material) cover placed on top of the pipelines, protection from scouring typically relies on sufficient pipeline-burial depth, or adequate trenching and trench-backfilling requirements.