Structural Vibration Mode Re-Analysis of Offshore Structures

-This paper reviews the current methodology for dynamic reanalysis. Rayleigh-Ritz approach and receptance approach are discussed in detail. Based on a general finite element structural analysis program SAPS, an eigenproblem re-analysis prorgram ERP was compiled. With a very small change the program can be implemented readily with any general FEM program. Finally, some numerical examples show that the new algorithm is of high precision and efficiency. In the case of local modification in the offshore platform, the efficiency is raised by 20- 50 times when compared with the re-calculation of the whole model.     

New Method for Predicting the Motion Responses of A Flexible Joint Multi-Body Floating System to Irregular Waves

A new hybrid method of frequency domain and time domain is developed in this paper to predict the motion responses of a flexibly joint multi-body floating system to irregular waves. The main idea of the method is that the three-dimensional frequency method is used to obtain the hydrodynamic coefficients and the response equations are solved in time domain step by step. All the forces can be obtained at the same time. The motions and nonlinear mooring forces of a box type six-body floating system are predicted. A comparison of the theoretical method-based solutions with experimental results has shown good agreement.     

Torsionally Coupled Response Control of Offshore Platform Structures Using Circular Tuned Liquid Column Dampers

In this paper, the control performance is investigated of Circular Tuned Liquid Column Dampers (CTLCD) over torsional response of offshore platform structures excited by ground motions. Based on the equation of motion for the CTLCD-structure system, the optimal control parameters of CTLCD are given through some derivations on the supposition that the ground motion is a stochastic process. The influence of systematic parameters on the equivalent damping ratio of the structures is analyzed with purely torsional vibration and translational-torsional coupled vibration, respectively, The results show that the Circular Tuned Liquid Column Damper (CTLCD) is an effective torsional response control device.     

Velocity and Sediment Concentration Profiles in Sediment-Laden Flows

A theoretical analysis of velocity profiles in sediment-laden flows is presented by means of Prandtl-Karman mixing length theorem. The study shows that the upward velocity of liquid-phase caused by settling sediment leads to the invalidity of the log-law and Rouse equation. The theoretical analysis takes into account the upward velocity and shows: 1) the mean velocity in sediment-laden flows follows the log-law, but the Karman constant reduces in the main flow region, 2) sediment concentration reduces the mixing length of fluid particles, 3) flow resistance reduces with the presence of sediment concentration, and 4) the sediment concentration profile deviates from the well know Rouse equation. The experimental data agree well with the equations derived on the basis of non-zero wall velocity. It is found that the wall-normal velocity should not be neglected for density gradient flows because it induces more than for pure water flows.     

Brief Account of Breakwater Construction in China

-The construction of breakwaters in China in more than 40 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China is reviewed. The construction of two main types of breakwater, upright breakwaters and rubble mound breakwaters, and the way in which they are built are expounded. Recommendations to improve the technology for future breakwater construction are presented.     

An Engineering Computational Method of Calculating Wave Forces on the Mat and Platform''''s Sit-on-Bottom Stability

- In this paper, an engineering method is employed to calculate the horizontal and vertical wave forces on the mat of the submersible platform under Froude-Krylov hypothesis. According to some model tests, appropriate diffraction coefficients are selected. And the results of the formulae given in the paper agree satisfactorily with those experimental data now available. The proposed computational method is effective and convenient to use in evaluating the horizontal and vertical wave forces on the mat. An exmaple is also given in this paper. Finally, the effects of the vertical wave force on the platorm's sit-on-bottom stability are analyzed.     

Finite Element Method for Design of Reinforced Concrete Offshore Platforms

A design method of reinforced concrete (R. C.) offshore platforms with nonlinear finite element analysis is proposed. According to the method, a computer program is developed. In this program nonlinear constitutive relationships and strength criteria of concrete and steel bars are included, and the progressive cracking and crushing of the concrete are taken into account. Based on the stress distribution obtained by the nonlinear finite element analysis, the amount of reinforcement in the control sections can be computed and adjusted automatically by the program to satisfy the requirement of the design. The amount of reinforcement required in the control sections, which are obtained with the nonlinear finite element analysis, is agreeable to that obtained in the experiment. This shows that the design method of R. C. offshore platform with the nonlinear finite element method proposed by the authors is reliable for practical use.     

The Shielding Effect of Multi-Pile Structures on Ice Force

The shielding effect of the front pile-row on the ice force acting on the hack pile-row is studied by ice force model tests. In the tests, the front pile-row is designed to model jacket legs and the hack pile-row to model the water resisting pipe-phalanx within the jacket. The shielding factor for ice force corresponding to different conditions are given in this paper. The research indicates that there are many factors, including the longitudinal and lateral spacing between the front and hack pile-row, ice attacking angle and the ratio of pile diameter to ice thickness, that influence the shielding effect on ice force.     

Modulus of Subgrade Reaction for Laterally Loaded Piles in Multiple Layered Foundation

-According to the field test data of laterally loaded steel piles at home and abroad,an empiri-cal formula for evaluating the modulus of subgrade reaction under static load in layered soil is proposed.The suggested formula takes account of not only non-linearity of K_s with the depth but also its variationwith the load.It is shown that the computed bending moments along the pile shaft and the deflection atthe pile top are consistent with the measured ones.     

Hydroelastic Response Analysis of Mat-Like VLFS over A Plane Slope in Head Seas

1 .IntroductionIntheexploitationofoceanresourcesandintheutilizationofoceanspaces,verylargefloatingstructures (VLFS)suchasMega FloatinJapan (Isobe ,1 999)andMobileOffshoreBase (MOB)inUSA (Remmers ,1 999)playasignificantrole .However,owingtotheirlargesizesandrelativelylowbendingrigidities ,theirhydroelasticresponsesinwavesareofthemostconcern .ManystudieshavebeencarriedoutforthepredictionofthehydroelasticresponsesofVLFS′s (Kashiwagi,2 0 0 0 ;Cui,2 0 0 2 ) .However,inalmostallofthesestu…