Three-dimensional scour below pipelines

This paper deals with the scour below pipelines exposed to a current. In a typical field situation, the scour pattern along a pipeline is not uniform; the scour holes are interrupted with the reaches where the pipeline is partially or totally buried. This paper focuses on the longitudinal extent of the individual scour holes. A simplified picture of the process is given to describe the longitudinal dimension of a scour hole. The sagging of the pipeline is an essential element of the process. The effect of sagging on the final scour depth is investigated, using a two-dimensional laboratory model. A simple equation to calculate the length of individual scour holes (the span length) is developed. The practical application of the equation is demonstrated by an example.