Performance of an example jack-up platform under directional random ocean waves

This article presents the results of nonlinear dynamic analyses that explore the effects of directionality and the random nature of ocean waves on the overall structural performance of a sample jack-up platform. A finite-element model is developed which rigorously includes the effects of the material and geometrical nonlinearities in the structure and the nonlinear soil-structure interaction. Two wave theories, NewWave and Constrained NewWave, are adopted to simulate the water surface and water particle kinematics, which are implemented in the numerical model developed. Analyses are performed for both two and three-dimensional wave models, and the results are compared in terms of the deck and spudcan foundation displacements. The results obtained from the analyses indicate that the inclusion of wave spreading can result in reductions in the deck displacements of the sample jack-up platform. The level of reduction is greater when considerable plasticity occurs in the foundation. Furthermore, the probability of failure can be significantly decreased when the wave-spreading effects are included. In addition, it is shown that the effects of wave-spreading on the response and failure of the sample jack-up is increased when wave period is decreased.