Feedforward and feedback optimal control for offshore structures subjected to irregular wave forces

This paper studies the vibration control of a jacket-type offshore platform with an active mass damper (AMD) and presents a feedforward and feedback optimal control (FFOC) law. The linearized Morison equation is employed to estimate the wave load. The offshore structure is simplified into a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system. The original vibration control is formulated as the optimal control for a linear discrete-time system affected by external disturbances with known dynamic characteristics but unknown initial conditions. We give the existence and uniqueness conditions of the FFOC law. Simulation results show that, compared with the classical state feedback optimal control (CFOC) law, the presented control scheme is more efficient in reducing the displacement and velocity of the offshore structure subjected to irregular wave forces.     

Sea state characterisation of the test site of an offshore wave energy plant

The Archimedes Wave Swing (AWS) pilot plant, rated at 2 MW, was tested offshore at Póvoa de Varzim in northern Portugal in 2004, gathering a large team of engineers and scientists. The Mechanical Engineering Department of Instituto Superior Técnico was involved, following previous work done for the project. The present paper describes one of the studies conducted. It aims to characterise the sea state at the actual location of the pilot plant using the available pressure sensors. Two approaches were performed: a first one purely based in linear wave theory, neglecting the presence of the device, and a second one, based on the results from a Boundary Element Method (BEM) code named AQUADYN, originally developed at École Centrale de Nantes (France), which allowed a detailed quantification of the effects of the presence of the plant on the wave profile directly above it. Comparisons with a Datawell Waverider buoy located at a certain distance from the plant also played an important role in the current study.     

Seismic response to collapse structures in the Southern North Sea

The presence of probable salt dissolution-associated collapse structures in the North Sea based on the evidence of contemporary seismic data was discussed by Lohmann (1972). Since then, little attention has been paid to them in North Sea literature, although many oil companies will have studies on file. This Paper describes and illustrates a selection of such features in the area from recent seismic data, and suggest a broad classification for them as they are seen on the seismic section, based on mode of origin. Reference will also be made to certain types of carbonate dissolution and collapse effects.     

Probability models for offshore structural response due to Morison wave loading Part I: Drag-only response

Offshore structures are exposed to random wave loading in the ocean environment and hence the probability distribution of their response to wave loading is a minimum requirement for efficient probabilistic analysis of these structures. Due to nonlinearity of Morison wave loading and also due to intermittency of wave loading on members in the splash zone, the response is often non-Gaussian. Analysis of simulated data has, however, shown that neither of the two probability models proposed in the literature can accurately predict the tails of the response distribution. New probability models are therefore required to overcome this deficiency. This paper is composed of two parts: Part I is devoted to the development and validation of a new probability model for drag-only responses (i.e. responses due to the drag component of Morison wave loading), while Part II is devoted to the development and validation of new probability models for both inertia-only and total responses.     

Probability models for offshore structural response due to Morison wave loading: Part II: Inertia-only and total responses

Offshore structures are exposed to random wave loading in the ocean environment and hence the probability distribution of their response to wave loading is a minimum requirement for efficient probabilistic analysis of these structures. Due to nonlinearity of Morison wave loading and also due to intermittency of wave loading on members in the splash zone, the response is often non-Gaussian. Part I of this paper was devoted to the development and validation of a new probability model for drag-only responses (i.e. responses due to the drag component of Morison wave loading). This part is devoted to the development and validation of new probability models for both inertia-only and total responses.     

Dynamic pressures on inclined cylinders due to freak waves

The dynamic pressure distribution around a cylinder tilted along and against the principal wave direction is measured. The cylinder was exposed to the action of random waves in the presence and absence of extreme waves. Six inclinations from the vertical plane, three along and three against the wave direction, were considered. The cylinder in upright position was also studied. The variation of dimensionless peak pressure (pressure maximum/average highest one-third wave height, H_1/3) with the relative wave height (maximum wave height/H_1/3) for locations facing the wave and at the rear of the cylinder for different angles of inclinations of the cylinder are reported for the two kinds of waves mentioned earlier. The statistical properties of the different asymmetries in the pressure traces are also discussed.     

Extension of Haskind's relations to cylindrical wave fields in the context of an interaction theory

The Direct Matrix Method Interaction Theory (IT) proposed by Kagemoto and Yue [1] speeds up the computation of hydrodynamic coefficients for large arrays of bodies when compared to direct calculations using standard Boundary Element Method (BEM) solvers. One of the most computationally expensive parts of the matrix method is the calculation of two hydrodynamic operators, known as Diffraction Transfer Matrix (DTM) and Radiation Characteristics (RC), which describe the way an isolated geometry scatters and radiates waves, respectively. A third operator, called Force Transfer Matrix (FTM), was introduced by McNatt et al. [2] to facilitate the calculation of the forces exerted on the bodies. In this paper, a novel set of relations between the FTM and RC components is obtained using the Kochin functions specific to the cylindrical basis solutions. They extend the classical Haskind's relations, valid with incident plane waves, to the cylindrical components of the scattered and radiated fields. Moreover, an alternative demonstration of the identities is given, which does not rely on the far-field asymptotic representation of the potential. Additional expressions are provided that relate the hydrodynamic coefficients and the RC for isolated bodies as well as for arrays, and numerical checking of the derived mathematical expressions is presented. These new relations can be used to speed up calculation of the hydrodynamic operators required for the use of the IT and to test its accuracy.     

Salt structures in the Laizhouwan depression, offshore Bohai Bay basin, eastern China: New insights from 3D seismic data

Using the new high-quality 3D seismic data, this paper addresses the salt structures in the KL11 area of the Laizhouwan depression in the southern offshore Bohai Bay basin. In the study area, the salt in the Sha-4 Member of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation thickened, and then formed an S–N trending salt wall, which changes shape regularly along its trend from salt diapir to salt pillow. The change in thickness of the suprasalt layers record five growth phases of the salt wall from the Eocene to the Quaternary: (1) early diapirism, (2) active diapirism, (3) passive diapirism, (4) relative structural quiescence, and (5) arching. The evolution of the salt structures was mostly governed by the multi-phase compression induced by the dextral strike-slip of the Tan–Lu fault, which formed a restraining bend in the study area. There was an original passive stock in the south, which was later tectonically squeezed by E–W compression and became a diapir. As the shortening propagated to the north from the original stock, the salt pillow was created in the north. Relative structural quiescence then followed until the next phase of compression, which arched the thick roof of the salt wall.     

Effective medium modeling to assess gas hydrate and free-gas evident from the velocity structure in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan

Seismic properties of sediments are strongly influenced by pore fluids. Stiffness of unconsolidated marine sediment increases with the presence of gas hydrate and decreases with the presence of gas. A strong bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) observed on a seismic profile in the Makran accretionary prism, offshore Pakistan, indicates the presence of gas hydrate and free-gas across the BSR. Elastic properties of gas depend largely on pressure and temperature. We, therefore, first determine the elastic modulus of gas at pressure and temperature calculated at the BSR depth in the study region. The interval velocities derived from the seismic data are interpreted by the effective medium theory, which is a combination of self-consistent approximation and differential effective medium theories, together with a smoothing approximation, for assessment of gas hydrate and free-gas. The results show the saturations of gas hydrate and free-gas as 22 and 2.4% of pore space, respectively, across the BSR.     

Hybrid three-dimensional finite-difference and finite-element analysis of seismic wave induced fluid–structure interaction of a vertical cylinder

The two-dimensional finite-difference scheme has been extended to three dimensions to solve nonlinear hydrodynamic pressures and structural responses of a deformable, vertical and circular surface-piercing offshore cylinder during earthquakes. A complete three-dimensional analysis has been made with both the three-dimensional equations of motion and the simultaneous action of three components of ground acceleration included in the analysis. Not only the magnitude but also the direction of the acting ground motion can be varied with time. The dynamic response of a cylinder is approximated by the displacements in the fundamental modes of vibration. A comparison of the dynamic displacement of the cylinder with and without surrounding sea water has been made. The flexibility of the offshore cylinder can significantly increase the hydrodynamic pressures acting on cylinder faces, that is, the fluid-structure interaction is necessary in offshore cylinder analysis. Although the hydrodynamic pressure induced by the vertical ground acceleration of the El Centro 1979 earthquake is significant, the calculated structural dynamic response of a cylinder is very small and the corresponding resultant hydrodynamic force is almost nil. The hydrodynamic force induced by two-horizontal ground acceleration is about the same as that by three simultaneous components of ground acceleration. For a solid and stubbier circular cylinder, the vertical component of ground acceleration may be neglected.