A Novel Approach to the Development of Squall Database for Mooring Response Based Analysis

Author(s):  
Alessio Mariani ◽  
Grant Elliott ◽  
Geoff Wake ◽  
James Whelan ◽  
Gus Jeans

This paper describes a novel approach to the characterisation of the winds associated with squall events. Squalls are short duration events during which wind speed increases rapidly and is often characterised by a substantial change in direction. Squalls are an important input for the design of offshore structures, particularly weather vaning facilities such as turret moored FPSO’s for which squalls may induce substantial mooring loads. This paper presents the development of a synthetic squall database covering 63 years and combining direct high resolution wind measurements together with weather balloon observations of the lower atmosphere and historical daily maximum wind gusts. The squall database was a key input into a mooring Response Based Analysis (RBA) of a turret moored FPSO located offshore North Western Australia. Details of the synthetic squall database development are presented including: regional squall regime characterization, direct measurements, identification of peak squall events from long term measured datasets, characterisation based on weather balloon observations, generation of representative synthetic time histories of squall events. The squall database, coupled with a conventional hindcast metocean database including associated wave and currents parameters, allowed characterization of the weather vaning performance of the FPSO and identification of design loads for mooring design purposes.

Author(s):  
Daniel P. Vieira ◽  
Guilherme R. Franzini ◽  
Fredi Cenci ◽  
Andre Fujarra

Abstract An experimental setup was built to investigate the Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) phenomenon on yawed and inclined flexible cylinders, in which five yaw angles θ = 0°, 10°, 20°, 30° and 45° and five azimuth angles ß = 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, and 180° were combined. The experiments were carried out in a towing tank facility at Reynolds numbers from 1800 to 18000, comprising vibrations up to the eighth natural mode. Time histories of displacements were recorded using a submerged optical system that tracks 17 reflective targets. A modal decomposition scheme based on Galerkin's method was applied, aiming multimodal behavior investigations. Such an approach allowed the analysis of the modal amplitude throughout time, revealing interesting results for such a class of VIV tests. The flexible cylinder total response is generally a combination of two or more modes. Only for azimuths 0°, 90°, and 180°, a unimodal response was observed for the two first lock-in regimes. The frequency response showed that, when the response was multimodal, non-dominant modes can follow the vibration frequency of the dominant one. Assuming a priori the Independence Principle (IP) valid to define the reduced velocities (Vr), it was observed that the resonance region was restricted to 3 <= Vr <= 8 for the tested cases, indicating that the IP can be at least partially applied for flexible structures. As the literature scarcely explores the simultaneous yawed and inclined configurations, the present work may contribute to further code validation and improvements regarding the design of slender offshore structures.


Author(s):  
Andrew Cornett ◽  
Scott Baker

The objectives of this work are to close some of the knowledge gaps facing designers tasked with designing new offshore structures or upgrading older structures located in shallow waters and exposed to energetic multi-directional waves generated by passing hurricanes or cyclones. This will be accomplished by first investigating and characterizing the natural variability of the maximum wave heights and crest elevations found in multiple 2-hour long realizations of several short-crested shallow-water near-breaking seastates. Following this, the variability and repeatability of peak pressures and peak loads exerted on a 1/35 scale model of a gravity-based offshore structure are explored. The analysis focuses on establishing extreme value distributions for each realization, quantifying their variability, and exploring how the variability is diminished when results from multiple seastate realizations and repeated tests are combined. The importance of considering multiple realizations of a design wave condition when estimating peak values for use in design is investigated and highlighted.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/16bCsMd0OMc


Author(s):  
Syed Danish Hasan ◽  
Nazrul Islam ◽  
Khalid Moin

The response of offshore structures under seismic excitation in deep water conditions is an extremely complex phenomenon. Under such harsh environmental conditions, special offshore structures called articulated structures are feasible owing to reduced structural weight. Whereas, conventional offshore structure requires huge physical dimensions to meet the desired strength and stability criteria, therefore, are uneconomical. Articulated offshore towers are among the compliant offshore structures. These structures consist of a ballast chamber near the bottom hinge and a buoyancy chamber just below the mean sea level, imparting controlled movement against the environmental loads (wave, currents, and wind/earthquake). The present study deals with the seismic compliance of a double-hinged articulated offshore tower to three real earthquakes by solving the governing equations of motion in time domain using Newmark’s-β technique. For this purpose Elcentro 1940, Taft 1952 and Northridge 1994 earthquake time histories are considered. The tower is modeled as an upright flexible pendulum supported to the sea-bed by a mass-less rotational spring of zero stiffness while the top of it rigidly supports a deck in the air (a concentrated mass above water level). The computation of seismic and hydrodynamic loads are performed by dividing the tower into finite elements with masses lumped at the nodes. The earthquake response is carried out by random vibration analysis, in which, seismic excitations are assumed to be a broadband stationary process. Effects of horizontal ground motions are considered in the present study. Monte Carlo simulation technique is used to model long crested random wave forces. Effect of sea-bed shaking on hydrodynamic modeling is considered. The dynamic equation of motion is formulated using Lagrangian approach, which is based on energy principle. Nonlinearities due to variable submergence and buoyancy, added mass associated with the geometrical non-linearities of the system are considered. The results are expressed in the form of time-histories and PSDFs of deck displacement, rotational angle, base and hinge shear, and the bending moment. The outcome of the response establishes that seismic sea environment is an important design consideration for successful performance of hinges, particularly, if these structures are situated in seismically active zones of the world’s ocean.


1983 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 216-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.C. Palmer ◽  
D. J. Goodman ◽  
M. F. Ashby ◽  
A. G. Evans ◽  
J.W. Hutchinson ◽  
...  

One of the most conspicuous phenomena in the Arctic Is the fracture of sea ice. It is scarcely possible to travel far without seeing a variety of fracture forms, produced both by natural processes and by human activity.At strain-rates below about 10−4s−1, deformation is dominated by creep, but at higher strain-rates fracture is much more important. One of the reasons for this is the very low fracture toughness of ice. The movements of ice in contact with offshore structures often induce strain-rates well beyond the level at which fracture begins, and so offshore structures will often operate in the fracture regime, and it is fracture processes which will determine the design loads. We consider the different modes of repeated fracture that will occur, and classify them into distinct mechanisms of crushing, spalling, and radial and circumferential cracking. Experimental and field observations are plotted on a deformation mode map. A theoretical treatment of radial cracking confirms that very low loads can propagate cracks to long distances; these loads are small by comparison with those calculated from theoretical models that treat ice as a plastically-deforming continuum.


1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Preston-Whyte ◽  
Roseanne D. Diab

Atmospheric pollution over cities accumulates under light wind or stagnation conditions and, on occasion, may be supplemented by transport from distant sources. These conditions cannot easily be predicted by use of the average weather elements. However, material which is useful to decision-makers who are concerned with air pollution problems can be obtained by presenting the data, as in the case of Durban, South Africa, first in terms of the nature and characteristics of vertical mixing in the lower atmosphere, and secondly in terms of the horizontal transport of air. In this way the nature and characteristics of surface and non-surface inversions and mixingdepths, as well as of macro- and meso-scale atmospheric circulations, can more easily be appreciated. In addition, a measure of the air pollution potential can be obtained from daily maximum mixing-depth and win-speed values.


Author(s):  
A. Naess ◽  
O. Gaidai ◽  
S. Haver

The paper presents a study of extreme response statistics of drag dominated offshore structures, showing a pronounced dynamic behaviour when subjected to harsh weather conditions. The key quantity for extreme response prediction is the mean up-crossing rate function, which can be simply extracted from simulated stationary response time histories. Present practise for obtaining adequate extremes for design purposes requires a number — say 20 or more — of 3-hour time domain analyses for several extreme sea states. For early phase considerations, it would be convenient if extremes of a reasonable accuracy could be obtained based on shorter and fewer simulations. It is therefore of interest to develop specific methods which make it possible to extract the necessary information from relatively short time histories. The method proposed in this paper opens up the possibility to predict simply and efficiently long-term extreme response statistics, which is an important issue for the design of offshore structures. A short description of this is given, but in the present paper the emphasis is on short-term analyses. The results presented are based on extensive simulation results for the Kvitebjo̸rn jacket structure, in operation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Specifically, deck response time histories for different sea states simulated from a MDOF model were used as the basis for our analyses.


2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
B.M. Hutapea ◽  
M. Asrurifak ◽  
Hendriyawan Hendriyawan ◽  
Masyhur Irsyam

It is not the earthquake but the collapse of the building and infrastructure that will cause the damage and the loss of human lives. To mitigate these hazards, the building and infrastructure need to be designed such that will not collapse due to earthquake. This paper presents the procedure for generating time histories at ground surface for Jakarta area. Required data to generate these modified time histories were extracted from the Team for Revision of Seismic Hazard Maps of Indonesia 2010. The results are used as input motions in dynamic time history analysis for predicting earthquake design loads for infrastructures, such as bridges such that those structures can be designed to bear the impact of an earthquake and prevent collapse


Author(s):  
Jan Thijssen ◽  
Mark Fuglem

Offshore structures designed for operation in regions where sea ice is present will include a sea ice load component in their environmental loading assessment. Typically ice loads of interest are for 10−2, 10−3 or 10−4 annual probability of exceedance (APE) levels, with appropriate factoring to the required safety level. The ISO 19906 standard recommends methods to determine global sea ice loads on vertical structures, where crushing is the predominant failure mode. Fitted coefficients are proposed for both Arctic and Sub-Arctic (e.g. Baltic) conditions. With the extreme ice thickness expected at the site of interest, an annual global sea ice load can be derived deterministically. Although the simplicity of the proposed relation provides quick design load estimates, it lacks accuracy because the only dependencies are structure width, ice thickness and provided coefficients; no consideration is given to site-specific sea ice conditions and the corresponding exposure. Additionally, no term is provided for including ice management in the design load basis. This paper presents a probabilistic methodology to modify the deterministic ISO 19906 relations for determining global and local first-year sea ice loads on vertical structures. The presented methodology is based on the same ice pressure data as presented in ISO 19906, but accounts better for the influence of ice exposure, ice management and site-specific sea ice data. This is especially beneficial for ice load analyses of seasonal operations where exposure to sea ice is limited, and only thinner ice is encountered. Sea ice chart data can provide site-specific model inputs such as ice thickness estimates and partial concentrations, from which corresponding global load exceedance curves are generated. Example scenarios show dependencies of design loads on season length, structural geometry and sea ice conditions. Example results are also provided, showing dependency of design loads on the number of operation days after freeze-up, providing useful information for extending the drilling season of MODUs after freeze-up occurs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
pp. 01015
Author(s):  
Syed Yusuf Javed

The response of compliant offshore structure under simultaneous action of random waves and earthquake loading has been analyzed. Since earthquake forces play a significant role in affecting the response of these offshore structures, comparative studies have been carried out considering near fault and far fault seismic excitations in the presence of moderate random sea waves. The offshore tower is modeled as an inverted pendulum with a cylindrical shaft connected by an articulated joint at the base. Seismic forces are evaluated by dividing the tower shaft into finite elements with masses lumped at the nodes. The nonlinearities associated with the system owing to variable submergence, drag force, variable buoyancy along with the geometry are considered in the analysis. The nonlinear dynamic equation of motion is formulated considering Lagrangian approach, which is solved in time domain by the Newmark-beta integration scheme. The sea state conditions, more precisely the water particle kinematics are evaluated using Airy’s wave theory along with the stretching modifications, as suggested by Chakrabarti. To minimize the dynamic responses, emphasis has to be given to the variations in height and position of the buoyancy chamber in extreme wave condition. The results are expressed in the form of time histories of deck displacement, hinge rotation, hinge shear and the bending moment. Parameters like maximum, minimum, mean and standard deviation are also determined by statistical analysis of response time histories of the dynamic responses at articulated joint.


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