Mitigation of Ice-Induced Vibrations for Offshore Platforms Using Tuned Mass Damper

The problems of ice-induced vibration have been noticed and concerned since the 1960s, but it has not been well resolved. One reason is that the dynamic interaction between ice and structure is so complicated that practical ice force model has not been developed. The recent full-scale tests conducted on jacket platforms in the Bohai Sea presented that ice could cause intense vibrations which endanger the facilities on the deck and make discomfort for the crew. In this paper, the strategy of mitigation of ice-induced offshore structure vibration is discussed. Based on field observations and understanding of the interaction between ice and structure, the absorption mitigation method to suppress ice-induced vibration is presented. The numerical simulations were conducted for a simplified model of platform attached with a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) under ice force function and ice force time history. The simulation results show that TMD can favorably reduce ice-induced vibrations, therefore, it can be considered to be an alternative approach to utilize. Finally, the application possibilities of utilizing TMDs on other miniature offshore structures in ice-covered areas of marginal oil fields are discussed.