A Generalized Point Conforming Rectangular Plate Element

- A generalized point conforming rectangular element for plate bending is proposed. The present element displacement field can not only satisfy the continuity of normal displacement and its derivative at the element node, but also satisfy the generalized continuity at the middle point of each element boundary, where the generalized conforming condition is to make the non-conforming residual to be minimum. Numerical results show that the proposed element is more accurate than the ordinary 4-node non-conforming rectangular plate element (ACM element).     

Effect of Band Width on Fatigue Life under Random Stress Response

A fatigue life estimation method for offshore structures under random stress response is studied in this paper. The method of broad band cumulative frequency number is used to determine the effect of band width of stress frequency spectra on fatigue. A formula of correction factor for fatigue under broad band stress spectra is suggested and compared with that given by P. H. Wirsching.     

Numerical Study on the Probability of Fatigue Failure of a Semi-Submerged Platform Structure

On the basis of Miner's linear cumulative damage theorem, random variables are introduced to evaluate objectively the fatigue damage of a semi-submerged platform structure and a method is presented to analyze the fatigue reliability of the structure in its design life. The reliability of the method is verified through numerical examples and some conclusions are drawn, which have certain guiding and reference value for design and inspection.     

Some Considerations in Design and Construction of the Wei-Liu Water Supplying Submarine Pipeline

The Wei- Liu water supplying submarine pipeline is at present the longest one of the kind in China. It is about 4 kilometers long from Weihai City to Liugong Island in Shandong province. It took only half a year to design and construct it. The project was of a high economic efficiency and some practical experiences were achieved. In this paper a general introduction to the design and construction of this pipeline is presented and such problems as the stability of the pipeline in very soft clay, design of curved slide for launching and estimation of dragging forces are expounded.     

A Study on Impervious and Heat-Insulating Performance of Geomembrane Composites Within Breakwater

This paper investigates the performance of geomembrane composites used as impervious andheat-insulating lining within a breakwater for a power station.The seepage field,distribution ofstress-strain contour and seepage discharge of hot water which has been treated as the inner thermalsource in the calculation of heat-insulation,have been given by three-dimensional calculation method coup-ling seepage with stress.The results indicate that the impervious and heat-insulation effect ofgeomembrane composites is significant.     

Evalution of Application of p-y Curve Method in Offshore Engineering Foundation

- Based on the Mohr-Coulomb failure principle and Rankine's theory, the laterally loaded pile ultimate resistance formulas of sand and soft clay proposed by Reese and Matlock respectively are discussed in this paper. The authors put forward the modified ultimate resistance formulas on the basis of which the ultimate resistance formula is developed for horizontally loaded pile in multi-layer soil in consideration of the effect of the overburden soil pressure on the calculation of soil layer. It is significant to the correct application of the ultimate resistance formulas in API and ZCS Rules into offshore engineering.     

Investigation on Settling Characteristics of Floes in the Changjiang Estuary, China

- Settling characteristics of floes, including relative settling velocity, relative flocculation coefficient and flocculation exponent, are obtained by the suspended load equations for different size fractions. Data of the Changjiang Estuary suggest that level of flocculation changes from river section, river mouth (turbidity maximum) to offshore area in sequence of low, very high and high. The settling characteristics of floes reflected by in situ estimation performs a similar feature as that obtained from still water experiment.     

The New Form of Time-Dependent Mild Slope Equation for Random Waves

The mild-slope equation derived by Berkhoff (1972), has widely been used in the numerical calculation of refraction and diffraction of regular waves. However, it is well known that the random sea waves has a significant effect in the refraction and diffraction problems. In this paper, a new form of time-dependent mild slope equation for irregular waves was derived with Fade approximation and Kubo's time series concept. The equation was simplified using WKB method, and simple and practical irregular mild slope equation was obtained. Results of numerical calculations are compared with those of laboratory experiments.     

Design Curves for Mooring Lines of Turret Mooring Systems

This paper presents a series of design curves to aid in the selection of turret mooring systemsfor tankers based Floating Production Storage and Offloading(FPSO)systems.These curves are appropri-ate to water depths ranging from 100m to 600m.The curves can be used as a preliminary design tool,al-lowing the designer to quickly evaluate alternative mooring system configurations,including the numberof mooring lines,the characteristics of chain and wire rope to be deployed and the initial tension.With aknowledge of the total environmental force and vessel motion characteristics,the designer can determinethe appropriate system for closer evaluation.