Measuring directional wave spectra using the 3D-ACM WAVE on fixedand taut-wire moorings

Field data were analyzed from a simultaneous deployment of two 3D-ACM WAVE instruments; one on a fixed seabed frame in the nearshore zone, and the other further offshore on a taut-wire mooring. An intercomparison of measurements of vertical and horizontal wave-orbital currents with pressures was used to evaluate the velocity sensor response under field conditions. Results using the fixed frame have validated the measured horizontal wave-orbital velocities, but found the vertical velocities to be less coherent with the pressure time-series. The influence of the instrument mooring system on the velocity measurements was investigated. The oscillation of the taut-wire mooring was found to influence the magnitude of the measured horizontal wave-orbital velocities and induce a phase lag between velocity and sea-surface elevation. Examination of other data from similar taut-wire moorings indicates a systematic relationship between the length of the mooring cable and the measured phase lag, consistent with the behavior of the mooring system considered as a forced, linearly damped oscillator. A comparison was made between the spectra of wave direction derived from both velocity and pressure data with that derived solely from velocity data. The results show a high coherence for the fixed mooring, but significant directional variability in the higher frequencies (>0.13 Hz) on the taut-wire mooring we employed, which we attribute to the mooring oscillation. The analysis further indicates that on taut-wire moorings, the spectra of wave direction should be resolved solely from velocity data. Using these findings, directional wave spectra were produced for the nearshore and offshore sites from 233 coincident events over a two-month period, and these data are presented in a time-averaged spectral format     

新型深海系泊系统及数值分析技术

随着海洋油气资源开发逐渐向深海转移,传统的悬链式系泊系统在技术和经济上遇到难以逾越的障碍。作为一种新型的适用于深水和超深水环境的系泊系统,绷紧索系泊系统面临广阔的应用前景。文章对这种新型系泊系统的发展情况进行了介绍,基于有限元数值分析技术,对系泊系统的两个关键特性,即系缆的绷紧-松弛特性以及纤维系缆的动刚度特性进行了分析和处理,通过算例考察了深海平台运动引起的系缆力响应。     

聚酯系缆损伤对绷紧式系泊系统动力响应影响的数值分析

由于聚酯缆绳具备优异的力学性能,促使以其为主体系缆的绷紧式系泊系统得以广泛应用和发展。但聚酯系缆具有复杂的黏弹性和黏塑性,且由于在安装和使用过程中可能产生不同程度的损伤,使得聚酯系缆的动刚度特性发生演变,从而对系泊系统的动力响应产生直接影响。以一系泊于1 020 m水深的Spar平台为例,运用ABAQUS软件建立了由聚酯缆绳组成的系泊系统有限元模型,并利用ABAQUS子程序将损伤缆绳动刚度经验公式进行导入计算,以更好地反映系缆真实的动刚度变化。基于该有限元模型,计算了在相同水流、波浪工况下,不同损伤度、不同损伤系缆的系缆张力历程和平台的横荡、纵荡位移响应,分析了不同损伤度、不同损伤系缆对系缆张力及平台位移的影响。这些成果对把握绷紧式系泊系统在聚酯系缆有损伤情况下的非线性动力响应及其安全应用具有重要的参考价值。     

循环荷载作用下合成纤维系缆粘弹塑性应力应变关系

在循环载荷作用下,合成纤维系缆的应力应变关系表现出明显的非线性特性,直接影响系泊缆绳的动力响应。如何针对其在循环载荷作用下的应力应变关系进行准确的定量描述是有关绷紧式系泊系统设计的关键问题。国内外研究者之前的研究不能反映缆绳的载荷历史、蠕变特性以及刚度变化过程,因此提出一个粘弹性粘塑性模型来描述合成纤维系缆的应力应变关系。本模型能够反映合成纤维缆绳的时间变化特性以及在整个加载—卸载过程中的刚度变化。此外,提出了明确的参数确定方法及步骤,基于简单的蠕变实验可以确定模型的各个参数。将两种载荷条件下聚酯缆绳的实验结果与模型结果进行对比,二者吻合较好,证明了模型的有效性和可靠性。本研究对于绷紧式系泊系统的研发和工程应用具有重要意义。     

深水系泊新型拖曳锚研发关键技术

作为深海工程应用中一种新型的拖曳嵌入式系泊基础,法向承力锚与目前新型的深水绷紧索系泊方式结合,在深水条件下的优势非常明显.综合比较了新型拖曳锚、吸力锚以及桩锚在施工、性能以及经济性等多方面的特点.提出了开展新型拖曳锚研发的若干关键技术.在对国外的实验研究现状进行综合评述的基础上,重点介绍了在构建新型拖曳锚模型实验平台方面取得的成果,涉及模型水槽、拖曳与回收系统、测量系统、模型锚板设计以及拖曳-系泊转换机构等关键技术.     

Modeling nonlinear creep and recovery behaviors of synthetic fiber ropes for deepwater moorings

The synthetic fiber ropes such as the aramid and polyester ones applied to deepwater mooring systems always exhibit obvious time-dependent like creep and recovery behaviors due to the viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity of the materials, which affect not only the modulus evolution of mooring ropes but also the dynamic response and fatigue performance of the taut-wire mooring system. In the present work, the Schapery's theory combined with Owen's one-dimensional rheological model is proposed to describe both viscoelastic and viscoplastic behaviors of the aramid and polyester fiber ropes. In the viscoelastic part, the Prony series is chosen to describe the transient compliance, which is more accurate than other functions especially under complex loadings; in the viscoplastic part, the adopted viscoplastic function is more suitable for the strain hardening behaviors and the stable state of the materials under variable stress levels. Detailed methods for identifying the model parameters are proposed, which can be applied to any component of the fiber rope such as the fiber, yarn, sub-rope and rope. The present model is capable of quantitatively capturing the change-in-length properties of fiber ropes reported by Flory et al., and can be easily incorporated in the commercial software for mooring analysis. In order to examine the feasibility and precision of the model, the viscoelastic and viscoplastic strains are calculated and compared with experimental and other numerical simulation results. It is observed that there is a good agreement between the predicted and experimental data, and the physically irrational results caused by the key parameter D_P previously noticed by Chailleux and Davies can be well eliminated. The present model provides a better tool to further understand the nonlinear behaviors of synthetic fiber ropes for deepwater moorings.     

拖曳锚在海床中运动特性的大变形有限元分析

拖曳锚由于其承载性能和深水中便于安装被广泛应用于海洋工程系泊系统中,如:适用于悬链式系泊系统的传统拖曳锚和适用于绷紧式系泊系统的法向承力锚。拖曳锚安装过程中涉及诸多运动特性:锚板运动方向、系缆点处拖曳力和拖曳角及运动轨迹。基于大变形有限元分析技术耦合的欧拉-拉格朗日法,并引入缆绳方程,建立起锚-缆绳-海床土耦合作用的有限元分析模型;模拟了拖曳锚在均质和线性强度黏土中的嵌入安装过程,研究了锚板运动方向、系缆点处拖曳力和拖曳角及运动轨迹等运动特性;通过与已有的有限元分析方法及理论方法进行对比,验证了该分析模型的有效性;与已有的有限元分析方法相比,提出的分析模型有效地提高了计算效率。     

Autonomous and rapid deployment of a compact taut-wire mooring

The deployment time of a taut-wire mooring is reduced to the time any transportation/hoisting device needs to put a payload at the sea surface. This is a matter of minutes rather than hours needed for deployment of long deep-ocean moorings in the regular way. It is achieved by extending the basic function of mooring parts to temporarily form a Launcher for Oceanographic Equipment and Instruments (LOEI). Full preparation of the mooring is done onshore where the instruments are prepared and programmed, and spooled onto the top-buoy together with the line. At sea, no other gear is required than a device that is able to lift a load of, say, 2000 kg, even for long deep-ocean moorings. The compact mooring method realizes considerable budget savings through deployments from non-research vessels and airborne transportation-deployment. Limitations lay in size and weight of the oceanographic instruments. We present a test-design shaped as a barbell and loaded with 940 m line and 3 current meters. Unfurling speed was maximally 2.3 m s⁻¹ and the descent speed amounted 1.2 m s⁻¹ until landing on the seabed. These speeds are comparable to those acquired during a conventional free-falling mooring deployment.     

Fatigue reliability analysis of mooring system for fish cage

Fish cages in the open sea are exposed to cycle loads due to irregular wave climate during their service life, and thus the fatigue reliability assessment of mooring system should be conducted to ensure the safe operation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fatigue failure probability of mooring system for fish cage. Numerical simulation of net cage in random waves is performed and the time dependent approach is applied to conduct the fatigue reliability analysis of shackle chains based on S-N curve method. The sensitivity analysis of fatigue reliability of mooring line to the uncertainty of random variables in the fatigue limit state is conducted. In addition, the system reliability for mooring system is analyzed and the effect of the initial pretension and safety factor on system reliability is investigated. The results indicate that a case without the initial pretension on anchor lines is helpful to decrease the failure probability of mooring system and the safety factor of mooring lines in the current regulation is conservative for the system reliability against fatigue damage.     

Biofouling on mooring lines and power cables used in wave energy converter systems—Analysis of fatigue life and energy performance

This study presents an analysis of a wave energy converter (WEC) system consisting of a buoy, a mooring system, and a power cable connected to a hub. The investigated WEC system is currently under full-scale testing near Runde in Norway. The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the entire system, primarily with regard to energy performance and the fatigue life of the mooring lines and power cable, considering the effects of marine biofouling and its growth on the system’s components. By means of parametric study, the energy performance and fatigue life of the mooring lines and power cable were investigated considering two mooring configurations, three biofouling conditions, four sea states in a scatter diagram, and three wave and current directions. Hydrodynamic and structural response simulations were conducted in a coupled response analysis using the DNV-GL software SESAM. Energy performance analyses and stress-based rainflow counting fatigue calculations were performed separately using an in-house code. The results show that, for a WEC system which has been deployed for 25 years, biofouling can reduce the total power absorption by up to 10% and decrease the fatigue life of the mooring lines by approximately 20%.     

Fatigue damage induced by nonGaussian bimodal wave loading in mooring lines

Catenary mooring lines are typically subjected to bimodal loads, comprising of a wave frequency (WF) component due to the first-order wave forces and a low frequency (LF) component induced by the second-order wave forces. For moored vessels, the LF forces due to current and wind also play a role. Only dynamic wave loads are considered herein, while current and wind loads are modeled as constant forces. Because of the nonlinearities of the mooring line characteristics, the dynamic line tension and the second-order responses, both the WF and LF line tensions are in principle nonGaussian. These facts make it difficult to estimate the combined fatigue damage of mooring lines in the frequency domain. A fatigue combination rule based on the Jiao and Moan’s theory has been extended to cover the nonGaussian case. The purpose of this paper is to improve and validate the frequency-domain method by time-domain analysis based on a simplified, but accurate mechanical model of the dynamic line tension. Improvements on the LF and combined fatigue damage estimation have been made by considering the nonsymmetrical property of the LF line tension distribution. Both the WF and LF mooring line tensions due to wave loading have been simulated in the time domain for different sea states and the combined fatigue damage has been estimated by using the rainflow cycle counting algorithm. The accuracy of the frequency-domain method for estimating the bimodal nonGaussian fatigue damage of mooring lines has been verified by the time-domain simulations and is considered to be acceptable.     

安装误差对半潜漂浮式风机悬链线系泊系统性能的影响

由于浅水深条件下悬链线系泊系统的性能对系泊缆长度和几何形状更为敏感,悬链线系泊系统的安装误差对其性能的影响较深水条件下的更为显著。因此首先对适用于半潜漂浮式风机的悬链线系泊系统施工进行研究,分别确定了锚安装位置误差、系泊缆预铺误差和系泊缆与漂浮式基础回接误差的来源,并根据施工条件给出了误差值。之后,以浮体动力学仿真作为手段,对系泊缆系统施工误差对其性能的影响进行基于时域仿真的量化研究。研究表明,锚安装位置误差对系泊系统性能影响不大,但系泊缆预铺和回接的误差对系泊系统性能的影响较大。系泊缆回接的误差可造成系泊缆张力平均值和标准差与设计值偏差近20%,可能对系泊系统疲劳寿命评估产生较大的影响。与系泊缆回接误差相比,系泊缆预铺误差的产生原因更为复杂,由于系泊缆预铺误差往往导致系泊缆长度增长,存在误差的系泊缆张力的各项统计值总体偏小,但可能会造成同组无误差系泊缆的张力过载。     

系泊链海水疲劳性能初步研究

通过试验研究了直径最大到187 mm的R4和R4S级系泊链在人工海水中的疲劳性能。根据疲劳试验得到了相应载荷振幅下的疲劳循环次数,并将结果和DNVGL OS-E301及API RP 2SK中的设计曲线进行了比较和分析。通过链环有限元计算,结合实际试验结果,验证了链环在拉伸载荷下的应力分布和断裂热点,为进一步分析系泊链疲劳失效机理和海洋平台系泊系统设计提供了有效的试验数据。     

Dynamic modeling of nylon mooring lines for a floating wind turbine

As current attention of the offshore industry is drawn by developing pilot farms of Floating Wind Turbines (FWTs) in shallow-water between 50m and 100m, the application of nylon as a mooring component can provide a more cost-effective design. Indeed, nylon is a preferred candidate over polyester for FWT mooring mainly because of its lower stiffness and a corresponding capacity of reducing maximum tensions in the mooring system. However, the nonlinear behaviors of nylon ropes (e.g. load-elongation properties, fatigue characteristics, etc.) complicate the design and modeling of such structures. Although previous studies on the mechanical properties and modeling of polyester may be very good references, those can not be applied directly for nylon both on testing and modeling methods. In this study, first, an empirical expression to determine the dynamic stiffness of a nylon rope is drawn from the testing data in the literature. Secondly, a practical modeling procedure is suggested by the authors in order to cope with the numerical mooring analysis for a semi-submersible type FWT taking into account the dynamic axial stiffness of nylon ropes. Both the experimental and numerical results show that the tension amplitude has an important impact on the dynamic stiffness of nylon ropes and, as a consequence, the tension responses of mooring lines. This effect can be captured by the present modeling procedure. Finally, time domain mooring analysis for both Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Fatigue Limit State (FLS) is performed to illustrate the advantages and conservativeness of the present approach for nylon mooring modeling.     

海洋系泊工程中合成纤维系缆研究述评

在回顾合成纤维缆绳的分类和工程应用的基础上,概述了各类纤维缆绳的优缺点和工程适用性。介绍了合成纤维系缆实验技术的国内外研究进展,并综述了合成纤维缆绳的破断强度、动刚度、蠕变、蠕变回复、蠕变破断和疲劳破坏的研究现状,在此基础上展望了今后需要继续开展的合成纤维系缆研究方向。这将为海洋系泊工程中合成纤维系缆的研究和应用提供重要参考。     

Stochastic Analysis of Short-Term Structural Responses and Fatigue Damages of A Submerged Tension Leg Platform Wind Turbine in Wind and Waves

In connection with the design of floating wind turbines, stochastic dynamic analysis is a critical task considering nonlinear wind and wave forces. To study the random structural responses of a newly designed submerged tension leg platform(STLP) wind turbine, a set of dynamic simulations and comparison analysis with the MIT/NREL TLP wind turbine are carried out. The signal filter method is used to evaluate the mean and standard deviations of the structural response. Furthermore, the extreme responses are estimated by using the mean upcrossing rate method. The fatigue damages for blade root, tower, and mooring line are also studied according to the simulated time-series. The results and comparison analysis show that the STLP gives small surge and pitch motions and mooring line tensions in operational sea states due to the small water-plane area. Additionally, in severe sea states, the STLP gives lower extreme values of platform pitch, slightly larger surge and heave motions and better towerbase and mooring line fatigue performances than those of the MIT/NREL TLP. It is found that the STLP wind turbine has good performances in structural responses and could be a potential type for exploiting the wind resources located in deep waters.     

On dynamic coupling effects between a spar and its mooring lines

The responses of a spar constrained by slack mooring lines to steep ocean waves and tensions in the mooring lines are simulated using two different numerical schemes: a quasi-static approach (SMACOS) and a coupled dynamic approach (COUPLE). The two approaches are the same in computing wave loads on the structure. Their difference is in modeling dynamic forces of mooring lines; that is the dynamic forces are included in the computation of COUPLE but neglected in SMACOS. The numerical simulation is examined against the laboratory measurements of the JIP Spar in a water depth of 318 m. The dynamic coupling effects between the JIP Spar and its mooring lines in different water depths (318, 618 and 1018 m) are investigated by the comparison of numerical simulations obtained using the quasi-static and coupled dynamic approaches. It is found that the damping of mooring lines reduces the slow-drift surge and pitch of the Spar, especially in deep water. The reduction in the amplitude of slow-drift surge can reach about 10% in a water depth of 1018 m. The tension in mooring lines may greatly increase in the wave frequency range when dynamic forces in mooring lines are considered. The mooring-line tension in the wave frequency range predicted by the coupled dynamic approach can be eight times as great as the corresponding prediction by the quasi-static approach in a water depth of 1018 m. This finding may have important implications for the estimation of the fatigue strength and life span of the mooring lines deployed in deep water oceans.     

Effect of wave nonlinearity on fatigue damage and extreme responses of a semi-submersible floating wind turbine

Floating wind turbine has been the highlight in offshore wind industry lately. There has been great effort on developing highly sophisticated numerical model to better understand its hydrodynamic behaviour. A engineering-practical method to study the nonlinear wave effects on floating wind turbine has been recently developed. Based on the method established, the focus of this paper is to quantify the wave nonlinearity effect due to nonlinear wave kinematics by comparing the structural responses of floating wind turbine when exposed to irregular linear Airy wave and fully nonlinear wave. Critical responses and fatigue damage are studied in operational conditions and short-term extreme values are predicted in extreme conditions respectively. In the operational condition, wind effects are dominating the mean value and standard deviation of most responses except floater heave motion. The fatigue damage at the tower base is dominated by wind effects. The fatigue damage for the mooring line is more influenced by wind effects for conditions with small wave and wave effects for conditions with large wave. The wave nonlinearity effect becomes significant for surge and mooring line tension for large waves while floater heave, pitch motion, tower base bending moment and pontoon axial force are less sensitive to the nonlinear wave effect. In the extreme condition, linear wave theory underestimates wave elevation, floater surge motion and mooring line tension compared with fully nonlinear wave theory while quite close results are predicted for other responses.     

Parametric interpolation method for probabilistic fatigue analysis of steel risers

Slender marine structures such as mooring lines and risers are susceptible to failures due to stress variations coming from environmental actions. Wave, wind and current are random phenomena, and consequently the most adequate methodology to estimate the fatigue damage accumulation on these structures is the probabilistic fatigue analysis. In practice, the estimation of fatigue life requires the numerical simulation of a huge number of loading cases to compute the multi-dimensional integral of the total fatigue damage.This paper presents an efficient approach to compute the long-term fatigue damage of marine structures. The proposed method needs only a few number of numerical simulations to estimate the structure fatigue life. It uses a parametric interpolation procedure to evaluate the fatigue damage for any individual short-term condition (sea state) required in the calculation of the multi-dimensional integral. In this way, the total number of short-term structural analyzes is considerably reduced.The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method is compared to the full direct integration by means of two comprehensive examples. The first studied case is an idealized theoretical model of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system under wave loading, and the second one is a Steel Catenary Riser (SCR) connected to a FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading floating unit).     

The two mooring dolphin concept for exposed tanker terminals

The conventional design for a tanker terminal provides for two or more mooring dolphins on each side of the breasting dolphins. Head and stern lines are attached to the outer mooring dolphins and breast lines to the inner mooring dolphins. In exposed locations, the expense of construction may be significantly reduced if a way can be found to reduce the number of mooring dolphins required for the safe mooring of ships at a fixed berth.This paper, based on studies for a proposed terminal for tankers from 25,000 to 100,000 DWT in the Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada, discusses the possibility of reducing the total number of mooring dolphins from four to two. Results of a static analysis of mooring loads due to wind and current and a hydraulic model test for mooring loads due to waves are presented.Operational aspects of the two mooring dolphin layout are discussed. It is concluded that the two mooring dolphin concept is an efficient mooring arrangement which will reduce the cost of fixed berth terminals. It is noted, however, that many of the smaller, older tankers in the world fleet do not have adequate mooring equipment to use such a berth and it is recommended that the necessary change in deck equipment be made to allow for such an arrangement. It is also recommended that ship personnel acquaint themselves with mooring procedures using breast and spring lines alone.