Experimental investigations on seismic response of riser in touchdown zone

A series of indoor simulation tests on a large-sized shaking table was performed, which was used to simulate the earthquake ground motion for the pipe-soil interaction system to be tested. The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic characteristic and seismic response of a length of PVC pipeline lay on a clay seabed under seismic load. The pipeline was fully instrumented to provide strain and acceleration responses in both transverse and in-line. Dynamical modal tests show that corresponding mode shapes vertically and horizontally are basically the same. But the absolute values of the natural frequencies vertically are all higher than those corresponding values in transverse. It turned out that the geometry configuration of riser affects its stiffness. Seismic response of pipeline depends significantly on the waveform, and Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA). As the seismic loading progressed, the strain response was severe around both TDZ and catenary zone. Additionally, strain responses in top and bottom positions were more severe than the result in left or right side of the pipeline in the same section.