Marine Engineering Series

A Polyurethane Vertebrae Bend Restrictor is typically deployed at the interface between flexible and rigid structures such as J-Tubes to protect cables and umbilical cables from damage due to peripheral stresses. Vertebrace Bending Restrictors are manufactured in a split design enabling easy on deck installation and assembly on to cables and umbilical cables from lay vessels or barges.

Flexible pipes, flowlines, power cables, and umbilicals are typically linked to a solid structure like a subsea riser base, PLEM, or wellhead. To avoid excessive bending at the connection point between flexible and solid structures, Polyurethane Vertebrae Bending Restrictors are commonly installed on the pipes.

The VBR is used specifically when there are static or quasi-static loads acting on a pipe, as opposed to dynamic loads, where a Bending Stiffener would be more suitable. We can provide a custom design or utilize a wide range of existing designs of bending restrictor elements to accommodate various pipes, umbilicals, and cables. Additionally, we can design and manufacture the necessary steel interface structure.

Specifications of Polyurethane Vertebrae Bending Restrictors

Technical Specifications of Polyurethane Vertebrae Bend Restrictors

The main advantage of polymer bend restrictors over metallic ones is that they do not require local cathodic protection, and due to the low density of the polyurethane material, they typically add less weight to the system.

With a large technical and engineering capability, Philson provides a comprehensive solution for cable protection, including design, steelwork components, polyurethane molding, testing, and validation. To find out more about how our Polyurethane Vertebrae Bending Restrictor, get in contact with Philson today.