Seismic and sequence stratigraphy of the central western continental margin of India: late-Quaternary evolution

Seismic and sequence stratigraphic architecture of the central western continental margin of India (between Coondapur and south of Mangalore) has been investigated with shallow seismic data. Seismic stratigraphic analysis defined nine seismic units, that are configured in a major type-1 depositional sequence possibly related to fourth-order eustatic sea-level changes, comprising regressive, lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tracts. The late-Quaternary evolution of the continental margin took place under the influence of an asymmetric relative fourth-order sea-level cycle punctuated by higher frequency cycles. These cycles of minor order were characterised by rapid sea-level rises and gradual sea-level falls that generated depositional sequences spanning different time scales. During the regressive periods, dipping strata were developed, while erosional surfaces and incised valleys were formed during the lowstands of sea level. Terraces, v-shaped depressions, lagoon-like structures observed on the outer continental shelf are the result of the transgressive period. In the study area we have recognised a complex erosional surface that records a long time span during the relative sea-level fall (regressive period) and the following sea-level lowstand and has been reworked during the last transgression. We also infer that sedimentation processes changed from siliciclastic sedimentation to carbonate sedimentation and again to siliciclastic sedimentation, marking an important phase in the late-Quaternary evolution of the western continental shelf of India. We attribute this to an abrupt climate change at the end of the oxygen isotope stage 2, between the Last Glacial Maximum and the Bølling-Allerod event (14?000 yr BP). This sensitive climate change (warming) favoured the formation of reefs at various depths on the shelf, besides the development of Fifty Fathom Flat, a carbonate platform on the outer shelf off Bombay developed prior to 8300 yr BP. The highstand systems tracts were deposited after the sea level reached its present position.     

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.     

导管架海洋平台自振特性的简化计算方法

本文提出了一个方程中只考虑剪切、弯曲、转动惯量效应，而塔架形状变化、平台面转动惯量及台面集中质量变化等其他影响因素均以修正系数方法确定，得出平台基本频率的简化算法。     

A New Method of Surveying Underwater Parts of Self Elevating Drilling Platform

It is a new method of surveying leg spuds of self-elevating drilling platforms to lift them out of water with the help of additional middle guide blocks. Its main advantages in comparison with other methods normally used up to now are: less expensive, time saving, no need for specially designated water area, direct visual observation, good reliability and safety. The working principle has been presented with the example of two platforms "Bohai No. 8" and "Bohai No. 10", to which the method was used. Also a comprehensive comparison with other methods in technological and economical aspects is given in the paper.     

Efficient estimation of extreme response of drag-dominated offshore structures by Monte Carlo simulation

The paper describes a novel approach to the problem of estimating the extreme response statistics of a drag-dominated offshore structure exhibiting a pronounced dynamic behaviour when subjected to harsh weather conditions. It is shown that the key quantity for extreme response prediction is the mean upcrossing rate function, which can be simply extracted from simulated response time histories. A commonly adopted practice for obtaining adequate extremes for design purposes requires the execution of 20 or more 3-h time domain analyses for several extreme sea states. For early phase considerations, it would be convenient if extremes of a reasonable accuracy could be obtained based on shorter and fewer simulations. The aim of the work reported in the present paper has therefore been to develop specific methods which make it possible to extract the necessary information about the extreme response from relatively short time histories.The method proposed in this paper opens up the possibility to predict simply and efficiently both short-term and long-term extreme response statistics. The results presented are based on extensive simulation results for the Kvitebjørn jacket structure, in operation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Specifically, deck response time histories for different sea states simulated from an MDOF model were used as the basis for our analyses.     

The relationship between seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) decline and sulfide porewater concentration in carbonate sediments

In this study we test the hypothesized negative relationship between seagrass status and porewater hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) levels, through a comparative analysis within a range of seven Posidonia oceanica meadows growing over carbonate sediments in the NW Mediterranean Sea around Mallorca Island. The studied meadows range from meadows growing on sediments with very low sulfide porewater concentrations (4.6 μM) to those growing over higher sulfide conditions (33.5 μM). Organic matter content, sulfate reduction rates and sulfide porewater concentrations in the sediments were determined concurrently with the assessment of demographic plant dynamics (specific mortality and net population growth rates). Sulfide porewater concentration increased with increasing organic matter content in the sediment, while net population growth decreased significantly with low increases of sulfide concentrations. Our results confirm the previously suspected vulnerability of seagrass meadows growing on carbonate sediments to increased sulfide levels. An excess of 10 μmols H₂S L⁻¹ porewater is identified to already conduce P. oceanica meadows to decline, which this study identifies, particularly, as strongly sensitive to sulfides. The results reported here suggest that even moderate increases in organic carbon inputs may lead to enhancement of dissolved sulfides and may be an important factor for seagrass status in these iron-depleted carbonate sediments from the Mediterranean Sea.     

考虑桩土作用独桩海洋平台横向振动特性研究

采用动Winkler弹性地基梁模型模拟桩土问动力相互作用，并考虑了流体与桩问相互作用，通过组合成层土中、水中桩单元的刚度阵，推得了独桩海洋平台连续系统横向振动的动刚度阵及在波浪力作用下平台甲板处的频率响应函数，进而求得了在确定性波浪力及随机波浪力作用下桩身任意点的位移响应。最后，通过算例研究和分析了在随机波浪力作用下成层土参数、甲板上重量及冲刷淘深等因素对平台振动响应的影响。     

极端荷载作用下海洋导管架平台体系可靠度分析

采用非线性倒塌分析方法，考虑桩－土－结构的非线性相互作用，研究了导管架平台在极端荷载作用下承载能力的计算模型，分析了平台结构体系在极端荷载作用下的全倒塌全过程，在此基础上，结合蒙特卡洛法，提出了海洋导管架平台结构的体系可靠度计算方法。最后对工程实例－涠11－4C海洋平台的结构进行了体系可靠性分析，并对比分析了不同的荷载效应计算公式对计算经的影响，研究表明计算经满足工程设计要求，便于工程应用。     

Dynamic Response of Fluid-Single Leg Gravity Platform-Soil Interaction System

- An approximate method is presented to investigate the earthquake response of the fluid-single leg (shortened for S. L.) gravity platform-soil interaction system. By assuming a suitable form of the velocity potential of the radiation waves and by using the motion equation and the boundary conditions, the unknown coefficients can be obtained. Thereafter the function of frequency for the interaction system may also be obtained. In this paper, the difference of the system dynamic response between rigid foundation is analyzed and the influences of the various foundation geometric dimension and the various water-depth on the hydrodynamic loading and dynamic response of the system is illustrated.     

Cerium anomaly and cerium thermodynamics in the sea water

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