Air Gap Response of Floating Structures: Statistical Predictions Versus Observed Behavior

2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven R. Winterstein ◽  
Bert Sweetman

The air gap response of a specific semi-submersible platform subjected to irregular waves is considered. Detailed model tests for this structure are studied in depth. Using time-histories of both motions and air gap, statistical analyses both for the absolute near-structure wave elevation (with respect to a fixed observer), and the relative wave elevation (with respect to the moving structure) are performed. Statistics of wave crest amplification, due to diffraction, are established. Corresponding amplification factors are derived from linear diffraction theory, and the results of theory and observations are critically compared.

1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Kodan

This paper describes the theory on the effects of hydrodynamic interaction between two parallel slender structures in oblique waves. The method is based on the two-dimensional diffraction theory including the interaction effect. According to Ohkusu’s theory, the sectional interaction effects on the added mass, damping coefficient and wave exciting force are evaluated by analyzing incoming waves generated by the oscillatory motion of corresponding sections. Numerical results of the wave exciting force and moment and motions for the case of a combination of a ship and a rectangular barge are presented and compared with the results from model experiments. The comparison shows good agreement. Finally, some attention is given to the relationship between the arrangement of the two structures and responses in irregular waves.


1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. V. Rao ◽  
H. Raman

Wave elevation on large cylinders due to irregular waves have been calculated based on the McCamy and Fuchs linear diffraction theory and on the principle of superposition. Experiments have been conducted in the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, to examine the wave elevation excited by wind-generated irregular waves on circular cylinders of large diameter. The wave elevation around the cylinders at representative locations were measured and compared with calculated wave elevations. The spectral density functions computed from wave elevation time series measured in the laboratory were compared with calculated time elevation spectral densities on the cylinder.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Dag Myrhaug ◽  
Muk Chen Ong

This article derives the time scale of pipeline scour caused by 2D (long-crested) and 3D (short-crested) nonlinear irregular waves and current for wave-dominant flow. The motivation is to provide a simple engineering tool suitable to use when assessing the time scale of equilibrium pipeline scour for these flow conditions. The method assumes the random wave process to be stationary and narrow banded adopting a distribution of the wave crest height representing 2D and 3D nonlinear irregular waves and a time scale formula for regular waves plus current. The presented results cover a range of random waves plus current flow conditions for which the method is valid. Results for typical field conditions are also presented. A possible application of the outcome of this study is that, e.g., consulting engineers can use it as part of assessing the on-bottom stability of seabed pipelines.


Author(s):  
Daniele Dessi ◽  
Sara Siniscalchi Minna

A combined numerical/theoretical investigation of a moored floating structure response to incoming waves is presented. The floating structure consists of three bodies, equipped with fenders, joined by elastic cables. The system is also moored to the seabed with eight mooring lines. This corresponds to an actual configuration of a floating structure used as a multipurpose platform for hosting wind-turbines, aquaculture farms or wave-energy converters. The dynamic wave response is investigated with numerical simulations in regular and irregular waves, showing a good agreement with experiments in terms of time histories of pitch, heave and surge motions as well as of the mooring line forces. To highlight the dynamical behavior of this complex configuration, the proper orthogonal decomposition is used for extracting the principal modes by which the moored structure oscillates in waves giving further insights about the way waves excites the structure.


Author(s):  
Xin Lu ◽  
Pankaj Kumar ◽  
Anand Bahuguni ◽  
Yanling Wu

The design of offshore structures for extreme/abnormal waves assumes that there is sufficient air gap such that waves will not hit the platform deck. Due to inaccuracies in the predictions of extreme wave crests in addition to settlement or sea-level increases, the required air gap between the crest of the extreme wave and the deck is often inadequate in existing platforms and therefore wave-in-deck loads need to be considered when assessing the integrity of such platforms. The problem of wave-in-deck loading involves very complex physics and demands intensive study. In the Computational Fluid Mechanics (CFD) approach, two critical issues must be addressed, namely the efficient, realistic numerical wave maker and the accurate free surface capturing methodology. Most reported CFD research on wave-in-deck loads consider regular waves only, for instance the Stokes fifth-order waves. They are, however, recognized by designers as approximate approaches since “real world” sea states consist of random irregular waves. In our work, we report a recently developed focused extreme wave maker based on the NewWave theory. This model can better approximate the “real world” conditions, and is more efficient than conventional random wave makers. It is able to efficiently generate targeted waves at a prescribed time and location. The work is implemented and integrated with OpenFOAM, an open source platform that receives more and more attention in a wide range of industrial applications. We will describe the developed numerical method of predicting highly non-linear wave-in-deck loads in the time domain. The model’s capability is firstly demonstrated against 3D model testing experiments on a fixed block with various deck orientations under random waves. A detailed loading analysis is conducted and compared with available numerical and measurement data. It is then applied to an extreme wave loading test on a selected bridge with multiple under-deck girders. The waves are focused extreme irregular waves derived from NewWave theory and JONSWAP spectra.


Author(s):  
Valentina Laface ◽  
Giovanni Malara ◽  
Felice Arena ◽  
Ioannis A. Kougioumtzoglou ◽  
Alessandra Romolo

The paper addresses the problem of deriving the nonlinear, up to the second order, crest wave height probability distribution in front of a vertical wall under the assumption of finite spectral bandwidth, finite water depth and long-crested waves. The distribution is derived by relying on the Quasi-Deterministic representation of the free surface elevation in front of the vertical wall. The theoretical results are compared against experimental data obtained by utilizing a compressive sensing algorithm for reconstructing the free surface elevation in front of the wall. The reconstruction is pursued by starting from recorded wave pressure time histories obtained by utilizing a row of pressure transducers located at various levels. The comparison shows that there is an excellent agreement between the proposed distribution and the experimental data and confirm the deviation of the crest height distribution from the Rayleigh one.


Author(s):  
Anskey A. Miranda ◽  
Fred P. Turner ◽  
Nigel Barltrop

This paper presents a study of the analysis methodologies used to predict the most likely response of flexibles in a subsea environment, with the aim of determining an efficient and reliable prediction methodology. The most accurate method involves simulating multiple wave realisations of a real world sea state, i.e. irregular waves, and post-processing the results to determine the most probable maximum (MPM). Due to the computationally intensive nature of this approach, however, regular wave analysis is typically used to determine flexible response. This approach considers the maximum wave within a design storm at a desired period; the choice of periods may leave room for uncertainty in the conservatism of the approach. With proper screening, regular wave analysis can be a valid yet overly conservative approach resulting in over design and additional cost. However, if screened incorrectly, there is a possibility that the choice of periods could give results that are under conservative. In addition to regular wave analysis, the paper presents two alternative methodologies to determine the most likely response, with the focus on reducing the computational resources required. The first alternative is an ‘Irregular Wave Screen’ approach in which the wave train is screened at areas of interest for waves within a user defined threshold of the maximum wave height, in addition to other user defined parameters. Only waves within these parameters are simulated to determine responses. The second alternative is the ‘New Wave’ approach, which models the most probable wave elevation around the maximum wave crest. The calculated new wave is then placed at the desired location to determine responses. The responses of the Regular, Irregular Wave Screen and New Wave methodologies are compared with the Irregular MPM approach to determine their feasibility to predict the response of flexibles in a real world irregular sea state with lower computational requirements.


Author(s):  
Dimitris Spanos ◽  
Apostolos Papanikolaou

The wave induced yaw drift moment on floating structures is of particular interest when the lateral yaw motion of the structure should be controlled by moorings and/or active dynamic positioning systems. In the present paper, the estimation of the yaw drift moment in the modeled natural wave environment is conducted by application of a nonlinear time domain numerical method accounting for the motion of arbitrarily shaped floating bodies in waves. The computational method is based on linear potential theory and includes the non-linear hydrostatic terms in an exact way, whereas the higher-order wave-induced effects are partly approximated. Despite the approximate modeling of the second order hydrodynamic forces, the method proved to satisfactorily approach the dominant part of the exerted hydrodynamic forces enabling the calculation of drift forces and of other drift effects in irregular waves. Hence, the subject yaw drift moment in the modeled natural wave environment is derived, resulting to a basic reference for the design of similar type floating structures.


Author(s):  
M.V Berry

Shallower regions in the oceans can act as lenses, focusing the energy of tsunamis, typically onto cusp points where two caustic lines meet. Diffraction theory enables calculation of the profile of a tsunami wave propagating through a cusp. The wave elevation depends on position, time and two main parameters M and B : the large parameter M is the distance of the cusp from the lens, divided by the local wavelength of the tsunami without focusing, and B quantifies the spatial extent of the initial disturbance. Focusing amplifies the wave by a factor A proportional to M 1/4 and can potentially multiply the tsunami energy (proportional to A 2 ) 10-fold over a transverse range of tens of kilometres.


Author(s):  
Yanqiu Zhang ◽  
Zhimin Tan ◽  
Yucheng Hou ◽  
Jiabei Yuan

A study was conducted to have a deeper understanding to the statistical characteristics of response of flexible riser in global dynamic simulation with irregular wave. If consider the numerical simulation model as a system and the input wave train as an excitation to it, the time histories of riser load should be the response of the system to the excitation. In order to look the effect of riser configuration and water depth, the study was conducted with three kinds of configuration: Free-Hanging, Lazy-S and Tethered-Wave, which were in different water depths. In order to examine the stationarity and ergodicity of riser response, 100 simulations were performed. Each simulation was performed with a 3-hours-long storm. Except the seeds used to generate the random phases to the wave components, the 100 irregular wave processes for each riser are completely the same. When the number of wave components is enough large, the input irregular wave train should be a stationary normal process. Since the software used for the dynamic simulation is high nonlinear, however, the time history of riser response may not be perfectly stationary normal process. Then different probability distribution theories were applied to fit these time histories and the most fitting one was found out for different riser responses and for different riser configurations. The ensemble autocorrelation functions and the time autocorrelation functions were also examined for both irregular waves and the riser responses. Then the study indicated that both irregular waves and riser responses as random processes should be ergodic stationary. Finally the cross correlations between the irregular waves and riser responses were also examined and it was found that the irregular wave for each riser should be jointly stationary with each response of the riser.


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