Frictional Flexible Pipe Model Using Macroelements

Flexible pipes are structures composed by many layers varying in composition and shapes, in which the structural behavior is defined by the role it must play. Flexible pipes construction is such that layers are unbounded, allowing relative movement between them and modifying its behavior. Many approaches are used to model such cables, both analytical and numerical, such as the macroelements model. This sort of model consists in finite elements where geometrical characteristics are taken into account by the formulation and is under development by the authors. Previous works have shown in detail the modeled cylindrical and helical elements, as well node-to-node connection elements (bounded, frictionless and frictional), which have allowed simplified flexible pipe with bonded elements simulations. This article will focus on modeling a simplified cable consisting in an external sheath, two armor layers and a polymeric core, since recent advances in the contact formulation opens the possibility to incorporate friction between the layers. Taking into consideration accuracy, computational time and memory usage, results from macroelements are compared to commercial finite element software.