Coupled dynamic analysis of a mini TLP: Comparison with measurements

The dynamically coupled interaction between the hull of a floating platform and its risers and tendons plays an important role in the global motions of the platform and the tension loads in the tendons and risers. This is an especially critical design issue in the frequency ranges outside the wave frequencies of significant energy content. This study examines the importance of this coupled dynamic interaction and the effectiveness of different approaches for their prediction. A numerical code, named COUPLE, has been developed for computing the motions and tensions pertaining to a moored floating structure positioned and restrained by its mooring/tendon and riser systems. In this study the experimentally measured motions of a mini-TLP are compared with those computed using COUPLE and alternative predictions based upon quasi-static analysis. The comparisons confirm that COUPLE is able to predict the dynamic interaction between the hull and its tendon and riser systems while the related quasi-static analysis fails. The comparisons also show that wave loads on the mini-TLP can be accurately predicted using the Morison equation provided that the wavelength of incident waves is much longer than the diameters of the columns and pontoons and that the wave kinematics used are sufficiently accurate. Although these findings are based upon the case of a mini-TLP, they are expected to be relevant to a wide range of floating or compliant deepwater structures.     

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.     

Measurements of static and dynamic mooring line damping and their importance for floating WEC devices

The dynamic response of the mooring line will be a dominant factor to consider in their use for the station keeping of a wave energy converter (WEC). Due to the relatively small size of WECs and their being moored in relatively shallow waters the effect of waves, tide and current can be of greater significance than for other floating offshore systems. Axial line stretching and high-frequency ‘top-end’ dynamics can importantly modify damping and top-end loading.If a ‘farm’ of devices is to be considered then limitations in sea space may necessitate that the devices be relatively densely packed. This will mean that the ‘footprint’ of the mooring should be constrained, to ensure that the moorings from each device do not interfere and this will have great significance for the loading experienced by the line. One must also consider how the mooring system might change the response of the WEC and so alter its ability to extract power from the waves. Unlike a typical offshore system, the design of moorings for a WEC device must consider reliability and survivability, and the need to ensure efficient energy conversion.The design and operation of a chain mooring for a WEC is considered here. Generic experimental measurements of mooring line damping were conducted in the Heriot-Watt University wave basin at a scale of 1:10. The measurements were conducted on a single mooring line for surge motions and include the study of axial stretching and high top-end dynamics. The laboratory procedures were designed to resemble tests undertaken earlier at ‘full’ scale in 24 m water depth. The measurements were also compared with numerical studies. The experimental findings for WEC devices, supports the conclusion that dynamic mooring line motion will be an important variable, needing to be considered carefully within the design.     

深海平台试验中水深截断系泊缆动力特性对比分析

在深海平台混合模型试验中,采用大截断比水深截断系泊缆模拟全水深系泊缆的静力和动力特性具有很大的难度.以工作在1 500 m水深的Spar平台系泊系统为例,对比分析5种大截断比水深截断系泊缆的动力特性,研究缆绳轴向刚度、直径和单位长度空气中质量对水深截断系泊缆动力特性的影响规律.认为这三个因素对水深系泊缆的动力响应影响并不是孤立的,需要合理地选取三者的参数,才能使得水深截断系泊缆的动力响应与全水深系泊缆保持一致.     

Initial attack of large-scaled tsunami on ship motions and mooring loads

In this paper, we propose a numerical simulation procedure of moored ship motions due to initial attack of large-scaled tsunamis and investigate the effects on the motions and mooring loads. The effect of methodology on selection of tsunami wave components and of the drag forces are then considered by using the numerical simulation method, applying to several case studies for LNG-carrier. Large ship motions and excessive mooring loads beyond the safe working loads are induced by the resonant tsunami wave components in the sway and surge motions and drag forces.     

极限海况下Spar平台系泊系统耦合动力分析

在复杂的风浪流海洋环境中,Spar及其系泊系统的耦合作用受多方面的影响。对极限海况下的某Classic-Spar平台及其系泊缆索的动力响应做了时域非线性耦合研究。重点分析了极限海况下一根或者多根系泊缆索断裂时平台运动及其缆索张力动力响应的统计特性。分析结果表明,在风浪流同向且共线的极限海况下,不同位置处的系泊缆索发生断裂,对整个平台系泊系统安全的影响程度不尽相同,尤其以迎浪方向系泊缆索的断裂影响显著。     

On the estimation of mooring line characteristic resistance for reliability analysis

The main aim of this work is to derive a correct formulation for the characteristic resistance of a mooring line segment with lognormally distributed component resistances and substitute an equation proposed by Vazquez-Hernandez et al. [Vazquez-Hernandez AO, Ellwanger GB, Sagrilo LVS. Reliability-based comparative study for mooring lines design criteria. Appl Ocean Res 2006; 28(6):398–406] in a paper published in this journal, which is not correct. The mooring line is considered as a series system and the resistances of individual components of a line segment are statistically independent and identically distributed; furthermore, the case of normally distributed component resistances is also discussed. A comparison with the corresponding equation proposed by DNV-OS-E301 is given. Results show that the formula proposed by Vazquez-Hernandez et al. [Vazquez-Hernandez AO, Ellwanger GB, Sagrilo LVS. Reliability-based comparative study for mooring lines design criteria. Appl Ocean Res 2006; 28(6):398–406] overestimates quite significantly the characteristic resistance of a mooring line segment.     

Coupled dynamic analysis for wave interaction with a truss spar and its mooring line/riser system in time domain

A full time-domain analysis program is developed for the coupled dynamic analysis of offshore structures. For the hydrodynamic loads, a time domain second order method is developed. In this approach, Taylor series expansions are applied to the body surface and free-surface boundary conditions, and the Stokes perturbation procedure is then used to establish the corresponding boundary value problems with time-independent boundaries. A higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM) is developed to calculate the velocity potential of the resulting flow field at each time step. The free-surface boundary condition is satisfied to the second order by fourth order Adams–Bashforth–Moultn method. An artificial damping layer is adopted on the free surface to avoid the wave reflection. The mooring-line/tendon/riser dynamics are based on the rod theory and the finite element method (FEM), with the governing equations described in a global coordinate system. In the coupled dynamic analysis, the motion equation for the hull and dynamic equations for mooring-lines/tendons/risers are solved simultaneously using the Newmark method. The coupled analysis program is applied for a truss Spar motion response simulation. Numerical results including motions and tensions at the top of mooring-lines/risers are presented, and some significant conclusions are derived.     

The effect of nonlinear multi-contact coupling with gap between risers and guide frames on global spar motion analysis

Nonlinear multi-contact coupling between vertical risers and guide frames inside the spar moon-pool is studied. The existing numerical model for hull/mooring/riser coupled dynamics analysis treats riser as an elastic rod truncated at the keel (truncated riser model), and the risers are free to slide in vertical direction with constant tension, while restricted in horizontal direction. The truncated riser model neglects the portion of the riser inside the moon-pool and tends to overestimate the spar pitch motion. In the newly developed model, the risers are extended through the moon-pool with realistic boundary conditions at multiple guide frames, and thus additional contact forces and moments on the spar hull are considered. The gap effects between the riser buoyancy-cans and riser guide frames are also modeled using three different types of gap springs. Their different dynamic characteristics are extensively studied. The new riser model also considers the Coulomb damping between buoyancy-cans and riser guide frames and also allows the impact-like contact force calculation on risers for ensuring fatigue analysis.     

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。     

Reliability of mooring lines and piles for a permanently manned vessel in a tropical cyclone environment

The factors of safety for stationkeeping systems in current standards (ISO, API) are not derived or validated using reliability analyses. As the oil and gas exploration and production is breaking new boundaries, deploying new floating systems and moving into regions with harsher environments, it is of paramount importance to understand what level of reliability these new marine structures are achieving. This paper presents a reliability analysis of the mooring system of a Floating LNG (FLNG) vessel permanently moored and permanently manned offshore North West Australia in a tropical cyclone environment. The reliability analysis addresses both the mooring chain and the pile foundation. The analysis accounts for the long term characteristics of the environment, including the short term variability, in response to a given sea state and the variability and uncertainty in strength of the mooring chain and the pile. The stationkeeping system was analysed using detailed time domain simulations, capturing system non-linearities and low frequency oscillations as well as wave frequency responses and, thereby, reducing modelling uncertainties to a minimum.It is found that for the conditions modelled, neither the chain nor the pile meet a target reliability of 10⁻⁴/annum using the factors of safety commonly used in design following current ISO and API standards. New factors of safety are proposed to achieve this target reliability. For the pile design, one complicating factor is that current design standards do not explicitly define the exceedance probability that should be associated with the characteristic value of the undrained shear strength to be used in the design. It is demonstrated that the required factor of safety is crucially dependent on the definition of this characteristic value and on the level and the type of uncertainty in the soil strength profile. A recommendation is made regarding the definition of this characteristic value and the associated factor of safety. Furthermore, it is found that designing the mooring system to an environmental condition with a return period of 10,000 yr (as an Abnormal Limit State event), and setting the factor of safety to unity, meets the target reliability of 10⁻⁴/annum for the pile, if the characteristic undrained shear strength is a lower bound, defined in this paper by the 10th percentile value. For the chain however, this target reliability is not achieved.     

Ship berthing and mooring monitoring system by pneumatic-type fenders

Ship berthing and mooring monitoring system by using pneumatic-type fenders has been proposed. This system consists of present berth monitoring system including a mooring line load monitoring system, and a fender load monitoring system. The fender loads such as fender deflection and reaction force are calculated by measuring inner air pressure of the pneumatic fenders, which have unique characteristics in performance. Furthermore both loads for the mooring lines and the fenders can be used to estimate moored ship motions simultaneously. Total ship monitoring system at jetty can be achieved and contributes safe ship berthing and mooring.     

法向承力锚(VLA)--一种适用于深海工程的新型系泊基础

深水系泊基础是深水系泊系统的重要组成,随着海洋油气资源开发的加速发展,深水系泊系统的关键技术成为国际海洋油气资源开发的重要研究领域.法向承力锚（VLA）是一种崭新的适用于深海油气资源开发的系泊基础形式,论文对其应用、性能特点、工作原理、安装与回收以及计算分析方法等进行了全面介绍,以期对科研人员进一步认识深水系泊系统的关键技术有所帮助,并对国内深水系泊系统的研发起到一定的借鉴作用.     

Hull/mooring/riser coupled dynamic analysis and sensitivity study of a tanker-based FPSO

A computer program is developed for hull/mooring/riser coupled dynamic analysis of a tanker-based turret-moored FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) in waves, winds, and currents. In this computer program, the floating body is modeled as a rigid body with six degrees of freedom. The first- and second-order wave forces, added mass, and radiation damping at various yaw angles are calculated from the second-order diffraction/radiation panel program WAMIT. The wind and current forces for various yaw angles of FPSO are modeled following the empirical method suggested by OCIMF (Oil Company International Marine Forum).

The mooring/riser dynamics are modeled using a rod theory and finite element method (FEM), with the governing equations described in a generalized coordinate system. The dynamics of hull, mooring lines, and risers are solved simultaneously at each time step in a combined matrix for the specified connection condition. For illustration, semi-taut chain-steel wire-chain mooring lines and steel catenary risers are employed and their effects on global FPSO hull motions are investigated. To better understand the physics related to the motion characteristics of a turret-moored FPSO, the role of various hydrodynamic contributions is analyzed and assessed including the effects of hull and mooring/riser viscous damping, second-order difference-frequency wave-force quadratic transfer functions, and yaw-angle dependent wave forces and hydrodynamic coefficients. To see the effects of hull and mooring/riser coupling and mooring/riser damping more clearly, the case with no drag forces on those slender members is also investigated. The numerical results are compared with MARIN's wave basin experiments.     

随机波浪中张力腿平台耦合运动及系泊系统特性研究

张力腿平台(TLP)是一种垂直系泊的半顺应半刚度式平台,预报平台的运动响应及锚泊系统的张力是张力腿平台结构设计的重要基础。应用挪威船级社SESAM软件在频域和时域内研究了张力腿平台在随机波浪中的非线性运动响应及系泊系统特性,并在试验室中通过缩尺比为1∶40的模型进行了试验验证。在试验验证的基础上,将仅考虑浪与考虑浪、流联合作用下的张力腿的张力平均值、幅值及标准差作了对比。结果表明,在较低海况时,考虑浪和流时的张力腿与不考虑流的情况变化不大;在较大海况时,流的影响不可忽略,考虑流的张力腿变化幅度要略大于不考虑流的情况。     

Experimental study on wave transmission coefficient, mooring lines and module connector forces with different designs of floating breakwaters

This paper presents the results and conclusions obtained from the physical model tests carried out with four different designs of floating breakwaters. Changes from a basic design have been introduced in order to evaluate the improvement in the efficiency as a coastal protection structure. Incident and transmitted waves have been measured, as well as the efforts in the mooring lines and module connectors. It has been found that the width of the pontoons is one of the key design parameters, while small modifications in the floating breakwater's cross section shape are less determinant in its hydrodynamic behaviour and in mechanical loads in the discussed ranges. 2D and 3D tests were conducted, observing the great influence that the wave obliquity has in the module connector forces.     

Hydrodynamic interactions and relative motions of two floating platforms with mooring lines in side-by-side offloading operation

The hydrodynamic interaction and mechanical coupling effects of two floating platforms connected by elastic lines are investigated by using a time-domain multi-hull/mooring/riser coupled dynamics analysis program. Particular attention is paid to the contribution of off-diagonal hydrodynamic interaction terms on the relative motions during side-by-side offloading operation. In this regard, the exact method (CMM: combined matrix method) including all the vessel and line dynamics, and the 12×12 hydrodynamic coefficients in a combined matrix is developed. The performance of two typical approximation methods (NHI/No Hydrodynamic Interaction: iteration method between two vessels without considering hydrodynamic interaction effects; SMM/Separated Matrix Method: iteration method between two vessels with partially considering hydrodynamic interaction effects, i.e. ignoring off-diagonal cross-coupling terms in the 12×12 hydrodynamic coefficient matrix) is also tested for the same side-by-side offloading operation in two different environmental conditions. The numerical examples show that there exists significant discrepancy at sway and roll modes between the exact and the approximation methods, which means that the cross-coupling (off-diagonal block) terms of the full hydrodynamic coefficient matrix play an important role in the case of side-by-side offloading operation. Therefore, such approximation methods should be used with care. The fender reaction forces, which exhibit large force with contact but no force without contact, are also numerically modeled in the present time-domain simulation study.     

单锚腿系泊系统动力响应的时域计算方法

在时域内建立了单锚腿系泊系统在风、浪、流联合作用下动力响应的计算方法。在分析波浪荷载时，使用了设计波法和非线性Stokes五阶波，并由经验公式求出了船舶的风、流荷载作用力。系统的动力初始条件由准静态方法求得。由静态方法得到系泊力后，使用了四阶Runge-Kutta方法求解船舶的运动时历，并作为立管和浮筒动力计算的边界条件。由二维梁柱单元和集中质量法构建了立管和浮简的数学模型，立管的运动方程用Wilson-θ法求解。模拟计算结果和试验结果进行了比较，吻合得较好,表明本方法能够用于计算单锚腿系泊系统的动力响应。     

Study on coupling effects of ship motion and sloshing

This study considers the coupling effects of ship motion and sloshing. The linear ship motion is solved using an impulse-response-function (IRF) method, while the nonlinear sloshing flow is simulated using a finite-difference method. The IRF method requires the frequency-domain solution prior to conversion to time domain, but the computational effort is much less than that of direct time-domain approaches. The developed scheme is verified by comparing the motion RAOs between the frequency-domain solution and the solution obtained by the IRF method. Furthermore, a soft-spring concept and linear roll damping are implemented to predict more realistic motions of surge, sway, yaw, and roll. For the simulation of sloshing flow in liquid tanks, a physics-based numerical approach adopted by Kim [2001. Numerical simulation of sloshing flows with impact load. Applied Ocean Research 23, 53–62] and Kim et al. [2004. Numerical study on slosh-induced impact pressures on three-dimensional prismatic tanks. Applied Ocean Research 26, 213–226] is applied. In particular, the present method focuses on the simulation of the global motion of sloshing flow, ignoring some local phenomena. The sloshing-induced forces and moments are added to wave-excitation forces and moments, and then the corresponding body motion is obtained. The developed schemes are applied for two problems: the sway motion of a box-type barge with rectangular tanks and the roll motion of a modified S175 hull with rectangular anti-rolling tank. Motion RAOs are compared with existing results, showing fair agreement. It is found that the nonlinearity of sloshing flow is very important in coupling analysis. Due to the nonlinearity of sloshing flow, ship motion shows a strong sensitivity to wave slope.     

水深对软刚臂单点系泊FPSO动力响应的影响

系泊系统的定位能力是浅水油田作业的软刚臂式单点系泊FPSO安全作业的重要保障,为研究不同水深/吃水比下单点系泊系统的受力性能,针对一艘16万吨级软刚臂单点系泊FPSO,在线性三维势流理论的基础上,基于多体动力学方法,建立FPSO-系泊腿-软刚臂的耦合模型,采用Newman近似法和Pinkster近似法分析了FPSO所受二阶波浪力,在时域内计算了不同水深/吃水比对系泊系统动力响应性能的影响。结果表明,随着水深/吃水比的增加,Newman近似法计算得到二阶波浪力先增大后减小,引起单点系泊系统载荷先增大后减小;而Pinkster近似法计算得到的二阶波浪力逐渐减下,引起单点载荷逐渐减下。在浅水条件下,Pinkster近似法具有较好的适用性,Newman近似法严重低估了FPSO所受的二阶波浪力;在深水条件下,Newman近似法能满足工程计算的要求;适用两种方法的临界水深/吃水比为1.64。