RVE model development for bending analysis of three-core submarine power cables with dashpot-enhanced periodic boundary conditions

Abstract

Submarine power cables in offshore wind farm operate within a complex multiphysics environment. Despite being designed to be both flexible and robust though, their mechanical characteristics are susceptible to variations of thermal field. Bending studies of submarine power cables present challenges rooted in geometry complexity, component contact, and material non-linearity, compounded by the intricate stick–slip mechanism. The difficulty is further intensified when incorporating the thermal impact on material and contact properties. This paper presents a three-dimensional Representative Volume Element (RVE) model for predicting the nonlinear bending stiffness of three-core submarine power cables. The RVE model, developed with constant curvature and periodic boundary conditions, incorporates dashpots to address the stick–slip challenges associated with cable bending. This modeling approach minimizes the required cable length for bending analysis, significantly reducing computational costs. Validation against the bending test of a three-core cable at room temperature, alongside comparison with a 3D full-scale finite element (FE) model, demonstrates the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed RVE approach. Furthermore, the study explores the thermal effect on cable bending, highlighting the capabilities of the proposed RVE model in facilitating thermal–mechanical coupled flexural analysis of submarine power cables. This research contributes to advancing understanding and optimization of submarine power cable design for offshore applications.