Wedge impact with the influence of ice

This work presents a canonical study on a wedge entering water near a single piece of ice using computational-fluid-dynamics (CFD) and a Wagner-type theoretical model with corrections for non-linear effects. Calculations for a series of conditions with ice of different sizes and locations relative to the wedge are conducted. The hydrodynamic force due to impact, the pressure distribution on the wedge surface, and the pile-up phenomenon are examined to study the role of ice in the impact process. The theoretical model is shown to be accurate and can serve as a useful method to assess slamming loads under the influence of ice. It is shown that even for the case of a small piece of ice, the slamming force on the wedge can increase by 30%.     

Prediction of the dynamic response of a slender marine structure under an irregular ocean wave using the NARX-based quadratic Volterra series

The time series of the dynamic response of a slender marine structure was predicted in approximate sense using a truncated quadratic Volterra series. The wave-structure interaction system was identified using the NARX (Nonlinear Autoregressive with Exogenous Input) technique, and the network parameters were determined through supervised training using prepared datasets. The dataset used for network training was obtained by nonlinear finite element analysis of the slender marine structure under random ocean waves of white noise. The nonlinearities involved in the analysis were both large deformation of the structure under consideration and the quadratic term of the relative velocity between the water particle and structure in the Morison formula. The linear and quadratic frequency response functions of the given system were extracted using the multi-tone harmonic probing method and the time series of the response of the structure was predicted using the quadratic Volterra series. To check the applicability of the method, the response of a slender marine structure under a realistic ocean wave environment with a given significant wave height and modal period was predicted and compared with the nonlinear time domain simulation results. The predicted time series of the response of structure with quadratic Volterra series successfully captured the slowly varying response with reasonably good accuracy. This method can be used to predict the response of the slender offshore structure exposed to a Morison type load without relying on the computationally expensive time domain analysis, especially for screening purposes.     

Behavior of drag anchor in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional and combined loading

Drag anchor is a widely used economical anchor option for offshore floating structures. The anchor behavior under unidirectional loading and combined loading is important for anchor selection. The anchor behavior under combined loading, characterized by the yield envelope, can also be used for the prediction of anchor installation, which is still an issue in anchor design. However, most existing studies on anchor capacity are for plate anchors which focused only on the anchor pullout capacity in soil with uniform shear strength. The behavior of drag anchor under unidirectional and combined loading in soil with linearly increasing shear strength profile is seldom investigated. The current 2D finite element studies investigate the anchor behavior for a horizontal anchor fluke in clay with linearly increasing shear strength under unidirectional vertical, horizontal and rotational loadings first. Then based on the results of anchor unidirectional loading behavior, the yield envelopes for anchor under combined loading for both shallow and deep embedded flukes are studied. The effect of anchor embedment depth, soil non- homogeneity, soil overburden pressure and the soil/anchor interface breakaway conditions are studied to provide insight for drag anchor design.     

Toward a quick evaluation of the performance of gravity installed anchors in clay: Penetration and keying

Gravity installed anchors (GIAs) are the most recent generation of anchoring solutions to moor floating facilities for deepwater oil and gas developments. Challenges associated with GIAs include predicting the initial embedment depth and evaluating the keying performance of the anchor. The former involves high soil strain rate due to large anchor penetration velocity, while the later influences the subsequent behavior and pullout capacity of the anchor. With the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian method, three-dimensional large deformation finite element models are established to investigate the penetration and keying of GIAs in non-homogeneous clay. In the penetration model, a modified Tresca soil model is adopted to allow the effects of soil strain rate and strain softening, and user-defined hydrodynamic drag force and frictional resistance are introduced via concentrated forces. In the keying model, the anchor line effects are incorporated through a chain equation, and the keying, diving and pulling out behaviors of the anchor can all be replicated. Parametric studies are undertaken at first to quantify the effects of various factors on the performance of GIAs, especially on the penetration and keying behaviors. Based on the results of parametric studies, fitted formulae are proposed to give a quick evaluation of the anchor embedment depth after the installation, and the shackle horizontal displacement, shackle embedment loss and anchor inclination at the end of the keying. Comparative studies are also performed to verify the effectiveness of the fitted formulae.     

Numerical implementation of the installation/mooring line and application to analyzing comprehensive anchor behaviors

With the application of innovative anchor concepts and advanced technologies in deepwater moorings, anchor behaviors in the seabed are becoming more complicated and pose a great challenge to the analytical methods. In the present work, a large deformation finite element (FE) analysis employing the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian technique is performed to simulate the installation/mooring line, and then is applied to analyzing comprehensive anchor behaviors in the seabed. By connecting cylindrical units with each other using connector elements, the installation/mooring line is constructed. With the constructed installation/mooring line, FE simulations are carried out to investigate comprehensive anchor behaviors in the seabed, including long-distance penetration of drag anchors, keying of suction embedded plate anchors and non-catastrophic behavior of gravity-installed anchors. Through comparative studies, the accuracy of the proposed method is well examined. A parametric study is also undertaken to quantify the effects of the frictional coefficient, initial embedment depth, and soil weight on the profile of the embedded anchor line and the shackle load. The present work demonstrates that the proposed FE model, which incorporates the installation/mooring line and the anchor, is effective in analyzing the comprehensive anchor behaviors in the seabed.     

Studies of TLP dynamic response under wind, waves and current

Investigated is the coupled response of a tension leg platform (TLP) for random waves. Inferred are the mass matrix, coupling stiffness matrix, damping matrix in the vibration differential equation and external load of TLP in moving coordinating system. Infinitesimal method is applied to divide columns and pontoons into small parts. Time domain motion equation is solved by Runge-Kutta integration scheme. Jonswap spectrum is simulated in the random wave, current is simulated by linear interpolation, and NPD spectrum is applied as wind spectrum. The Monte Carlo method is used to simulate random waves and fluctuated wind. Coupling dynamic response, change of tendon tension and riser tension in different sea conditions are analyzed by power spectral density (PSD). The influence of approach angle on dynamic response of TLP and tendon tension is compared.     

半潜平台浮子式系泊系统参数优化研究

通过在系泊缆中设置浮子可以改善系泊系统性能,降低平台运动响应。建立浮子式系泊系统的数值计算模型,验证浮子式系泊系统数值计算方法,详细分析浮子设计参数(设置位置和净浮力大小)变化对系泊缆张力特性与平台运动的影响规律,并根据得到的规律选择了优化的浮子系泊系统方案。最后对优化方案进行评估,表明优化方案可以显著降低系泊中的平台水平运动,尤其是低频运动,同时系泊缆张力变化不大,仍满足安全要求。研究结果可为今后浮子式系泊系统设计提供参考。     

2008年10月5日新疆乌恰6.8级地震现场考察

2008年10月5日在新疆乌恰地区发生的M_S6.8地震,微观震中位于乌恰县境内,距边境18km,宏观震中位于吉尔吉斯斯坦共和国努拉村,距新疆乌恰县伊尔克什坦口岸西南约7km处,极震区烈度达到8度(境外).我国境内Ⅶ度和Ⅵ度区面积分别为7354km~2和1031km~2.这次地震的发生与南北向的卡兹特阿尔特弧形断裂带的活动有关.震区建筑物遭到一定程度的破坏,地质灾害现象较明显.     

Fracture mechanics analysis of multiple cracks in anisotropic media

This paper presents a single‐domain boundary element method (BEM) for linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis in the two‐dimensional anisotropic material. In this formulation, the displacement integral equation is collocated on the un‐cracked boundary only, and the traction integral equation is collocated on one side of the crack surface only. A special crack‐tip element was introduced to capture exactly the crack‐tip behavior. A computer program with the FORTRAN language has been developed to effectively calculate the stress intensity factors of an anisotropic material. This BEM program has been verified having a good accuracy with the previous researches. Furthermore, by analyzing the different anisotropic degree cracks in a finite plate, we found that the stress intensity factors of crack tips had apparent influence by the geometry forms of cracks and media with different anisotropic degrees. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

调查锚在海缆路由调查中的应用

介绍了海底调查锚的结构和用调查锚进行海缆路由调查的方法。通过实例 ,分析了不同底质情况下的实测结果。