Derivation of statistical properties of wave-induced offshore structural response by principal component technique

According to linear random wave theory, water particle kinematics at different nodes of an offshore structure form a set of correlated jointly Gaussian random variables. Thus, using principal component analysis, all the foregoing kinematics can be expressed as linear combinations of a few independent Gaussian random variables. This technique can be used to generate statistically independent hydrodynamic load and response values, as opposed to time simulation technique that leads to correlated response values. The sampling variability of the statistics generated from a set of independent data points is considerably smaller than that of a set (of the same size) of correlated values. Therefore, a much smaller number of simulated data points are necessary for accurate prediction of the statistical properties of response. Furthermore, simulating N data points by principal component technique (PCT) has proved to be at least two times faster than simulating the same number of data points by the time simulation technique (TST). As a result, PCT is considerably more efficient (about 25 times) than TST. The forgoing conclusions have been verified by applying both techniques to two test structures under different environmental conditions.     

Physical impact on the reclamation area resulting from offshore dredging at the Changhwa coast, Taiwan

The physical impact of offshore dredging on the reclamation area at the Changhwa coast, Taiwan, is investigated using a three-dimensional movable-bed model test. A distorted modeling law consisting of maintaining similarity of the equilibrium beach profile between the model and prototype is proposed. The geometric distortion was verified through a series of preliminary experiments conducted in a wave flume. Experimental results show that the distorted modeling is able to reproduce the beach-face slope in nature. An appropriate long-term morphological time-scale was determined based on a comparison of model longshore littoral transport rates and equivalent prototype values. Seabed topographical changes before and after offshore dredging are evaluated in model tests. A suitable countermeasure to prevent beach erosion from wave attack along the reclamation area is suggested from the experimental results.     

Effect of offshore troughs on the South India erratic summer monsoon rainfall in June 2017

The onset and advance of southwest monsoon are accompanied by the appearance of the offshore trough along the southwest coast of India. This offshore trough escorts a deluge of rainfall to the southwest coast, and sometimes rainfall band moves eastward further into south India. These broad observations were noticed during the summer monsoon of June 2017. Meteorological agencies and media had reported a huge amount of rainfall over the southwest coast of India during the month. But, in the far interior of south India, rainfall was less. Due to the less rainfall, water resources depleted, which affected local farmers and common man of south India. The confused views of the common man on southwest coast rainfall could be due to lack of understanding related to various factors affecting rainfall over the same region. This article is an endeavor to address the preliminary understanding of the southwest coast rainfall during June 2017, with more stress on offshore troughs. The study begins with area-averaged rainfall statistics over south, southwest, and southeast India by employing satellite and rain gauge merged rainfall datasets. Area averaged analysis revealed offshore trough contributed 80 % of rainfall over the South West India, 68 % over South East India, contributing to an overall 75 % over south India in 2017. To identify offshore trough position and strength in the reanalysis and model simulations, a new method called VSV (Vertical Shear of Vorticity) method was introduced. The computed offshore troughs were categorized into Active, Normal, and Feeble based on the strength of meridional gradient of mean sea level pressure and 850 hPa horizontal winds. The contribution due to each category of the offshore trough over different sub-regions was investigated to find out the effect of the offshore trough to total rainfall. Dynamic and thermodynamic features of these categories of the offshore trough were investigated by using proxies like equivalent potential temperature and moisture flux convergence. We found that during active offshore trough an eastward propagation of rain bands persists, which was explained by using moisture flux convergence and equivalent potential temperature at different levels of the atmosphere.     

Trace metals in sediments near offshore oil exploration and production sites in the Alaskan Arctic

Increased offshore development in the Alaskan Arctic has stimulated interest in assessing potential impacts to the environment before the onset of any adverse effects. Concentrations of trace metals in sediments are used in this paper to provide one sensitive indicator of anthropogenic inputs from offshore activity over the past several decades. Sediments in coastal waters of the western Beaufort Sea are patchy with respect to sediment granulometry, organic carbon content, and concentrations of trace metals. However, results for surface sediments and age-dated cores show that nearly all samples contain natural concentrations of Ag, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V and Zn, with metal/Al ratios that have been constant for many decades. Metal concentrations for incoming river-suspended matter compare well with sediment metal values and, along with vertical distributions in sediments, show no discernible diagenetic impacts that distort the sedimentary record for metals, except for Mn, As and possibly Cd. Slightly elevated concentrations of Ba, Hg, Ag, Sb and Zn were observed in a total of eight instances or in only 0.7% of the 1,222 data points for metals in surface sediments.     

Absence of a regional surface thermal high in the Baikal rift; new insights from detailed contouring of heat flow anomalies

Heat flow in active tectonic zones as the Baikal rift is a crucial parameter for evaluating deep anomalous structures and lithosphere evolution. Based on the interpretation of the existing datasets, the Baikal rift has been characterized in the past by either high heat flow, or moderately elevated heat flow, or even lacking a surface heat flow anomaly. We made an attempt to better constrain the geothermal picture by a detailed offshore contouring survey of known anomalies, and to estimate the importance of observed heat flow anomalies within the regional surface heat output. A total of about 200 new and close-spaced heat flow measurements were obtained in several selected study areas in the North Baikal Basin. With an outrigged and a violin-bow designed thermoprobe of 2–3-m length, both the sediment temperature and thermal conductivity were measured. The new data show at all investigated sites that the large heat flow highs are limited to local heat flow anomalies. The maximum measured heat flow reaches values of 300–35000 mW/m², but the extent of the anomalies is not larger than 2 to 4 km in diameter. Aside of these local anomalies, heat flow variations are restricted to near background values of 50–70 mW/m², except in the uplifted Academician zone. The extent of the local anomalies excludes a conductive source, and therefore heat transport by fluids must be considered. In a conceptual model where all bottom floor heat flow anomalies are the result of upflowing fluids along a conduit, an extra heat output of 20 MW (including advection) is estimated for all known anomalies in the North Baikal Basin. Relative to a basal heat flow of 55–65 mW/m², these estimations suggest an extra heat output in the northern Lake Baikal of only 5%, corresponding to a regional heat flow increase of 3 mW/m². The source of this heat can be fully attributed to a regional heat redistribution by topographically driven ground water flow. Thus, the surface heat flow is not expected to bear a signal of deeper lithospheric thermal anomalies that can be separated from heat flow typical for orogenically altered crust (40–70 mW/m²). The new insights on the geothermal signature in the Baikal rift once more show that continental rifting is not by default characterized by high heat flow.     

定量风险评估在导管架海上安装工程中的应用

定量风险评估是风险评估发展的主要趋势。论文基于TOPS IS和神经网络响应面法,提出一种定量风险分析方法,并运用此方法对导管架海上安装过程进行深入分析,以及时查找并消除各方面的事故隐患。首先找出潜在的风险事件及相关风险因素,然后对风险事件的模糊概率和损失程度后果进行量化,最后依据风险评价结果对需要控制的风险事件给出控制措施。实例表明,该方法是一种实用而有效的定量风险评估方法。     

中南半岛近海偶极子演变过程研究

中南半岛近海偶极子结构是指在夏季与越南离岸流伴生的一对中尺度涡现象,其中气旋涡位于离岸流北侧,反气旋涡位于离岸流南侧,偶极子结构对于中南半岛近海水文要素具有重要影响。本文基于卫星高度计数据和HYCOM海洋模式的模拟结果,以2012年为例研究了该偶极子的演变过程,结果表明：偶极子结构7月出现,9月初鼎盛,10月消失;鼎盛时,两个涡旋直径均大于300km,在温跃层引起的最大位温异常可达±5℃。垂向结构上,反气旋涡呈中心对称,而气旋涡有非对称性,且影响深度大于反气旋涡。在200m以下,气旋涡有随深度增加向东倾斜的趋势,而反气旋涡有随深度增加向西偏移的趋势,但该趋势在200m层以上并不显著。对偶极子涡旋区域进行能量分析,结果表明偶极子能量主要来自于越南离岸流提供的正压和斜压能量,即越南离岸流区域是偶极子结构的主要能量源,局地风场对偶极子结构的维持也具有重要作用。能量既可以由离岸流输送给涡旋,也可以从涡旋向离岸流转化,但总体上是离岸流向涡旋提供能量。     

Measured and calculated spudcan penetration profiles for case histories in sand-over-clay

This paper reports five case histories of jack-up rig installation in layered soil profiles where a dominate feature was a stronger sand layer overlaying a weaker clay layer. In all cases a relatively continuous load-penetration profile was measured during installation of each of the three spudcan foundations. Summary site-investigation data is provided and consisted of mainly torvane, minature vane, unconsolidated undrained triaxial and pocket penetrometer tests for determining undrained shear strength of the clays and blow counts for deriving the relative density of sand. A statistical averaging method recommended in the InSafeJIP guidelines was used to provide the best fit of the undrained shear strength profile in the clay as this then allowed for spudcan load-penetration profiles to be estimated without introduction of user interpretation or bias. Sand properties were taken as provided in the original site-investigation report. Comparisons between load-penetration profiles calculated using the industry-standard ISO guideline, more recently proposed mechanism-based calculation method and three-dimensional large deformation finite element simulations are made with the measured data, leading to valuable insights for practitioners for estimating behaviour of jack-up installations in problematic sand-over-clay soil profiles.     

Un- and reloading stiffness of monopile foundations in sand

The eigenfrequency of offshore wind turbine structures is a crucial design parameter, since it determines the dynamic behavior of the structure and with that the fatigue loads for the structural design. For offshore wind turbines founded on monopiles, the rotational stiffness of the monopile-soil system for un- and reloading states strongly affects the eigenfrequency. A numerical model for the calculation of the monopile’s behavior under un- and reloading is established and validated by back-calculation of model and field tests. With this model, a parametric study is conducted in which pile geometry, soil parameters and load conditions are varied. It is shown that of course the rotational stiffness varies with mean load and magnitude of the considered un- and reloading span, but that for most relevant load situations the initial rotational stiffness of the monopile system, i.e. the initial slope of the moment-rotation curve for monotonic loading, gives a good estimate of the actual stiffness. Comparisons of different p–y approaches show that the ordinary API approach considerably underestimates the initial stiffness, whereas the recently developed ‘Thieken’ approach and also the ‘Kallehave’ approach give a much better prediction and thus might be used in the design of monopiles in sand.     

An investigation into the lateral loading response of shallow bucket foundations for offshore wind turbines through centrifuge modeling in sand

A shallow suction bucket is a new foundation type for offshore wind turbines. Due to its large size and bulky shape, the bucket and the soil within the bucket do not necessarily deform as a whole. Moreover, limited research has been conducted on the hydrodynamic wave influence on the shallow bucket bearing response. These factors pose great challenges to the shallow bucket foundation design. This paper presents a set of centrifuge tests of a shallow bucket model subjected to monotonic and dynamic lateral loads to study the lateral bearing response of shallow bucket foundations in the field under combined loads induced by wind, waves, etc. In addition to the routine measurements (e.g., load-displacement), the soil pressures on the bucket and the distribution and evolution of the excess pore pressures in the surrounding soils are also obtained. The deformation pattern of the bucket (e.g., rotation center) is revealed through displacement measurements. Finally, the proposed easy-to-use analytical equations using the limit equilibrium to assess the bearing capacity of bucket foundations, taking into account the influence of the soil strength degradation caused by hydrodynamic wave loadings, are found to yield good results upon comparison with the centrifuge data, providing useful guidelines for the design of shallow bucket foundations.