Experimental Scale Modeling of Large Undersea Cable Structures

To effectively utilize cable arrays which are implanted in the ocean, their response to current-induced forces must be known. Results of using scaling laws to perform experiments with models of such structures are reported. Scale models of these large elastic undersea cable structures are tested to characterize their behavior in a moored configuration under uniform loads. Highly viscous test fluids and specially fabricated filaments are used to attain complete dynamic similarity between prototype and model while scaling lengths by as much as 2000:1. Experimental results are shown to compare very well with theoretical predictions of proto-type behavior. Behavior of the cable during deployment is also examined.