Propagation modes of 3D scour below a submarine pipeline in oblique steady currents and waves

This paper presents experimental results on 3D scour propagation along a pipeline under oblique-incidence currents and waves. Different modes of 3D scour propagation were discovered after the local scour was initiated below the pipeline. These modes include scour propagation throughout the whole pipeline, onset of scour at multiple locations due to piping, termination of scour propagation induced by backfill and no scour propagation. The critical conditions for these scour propagation modes were determined in terms of flow incident angle, embedment depth and Shields parameter (or KC number).