Enhanced Kinematic Hardening Model for Load-Dependent Stiffness and Damping of Jack-Up Foundations

Dynamic analysis of jack-up platforms is generally carried out using approximated linear foundation springs and equivalent viscous damping. Advanced geotechnical analysis of foundations of jack-up platforms results in load-dependent stiffness and damping. Such analyses are often based on the finite element method as used for detailed site specific analyses with proper nonlinear soil models to generate nonlinear response curves, the so-called backbone curve, for the relevant loading conditions. The same FE model can be used to compute the strain energy in the soil elements and assign the corresponding energy losses in the elements based on lab tests or literature data, and integrate over the domain to compute the foundation hysteretic damping as function of loading. The state of the art method of using the backbone curve together with a kinematic hardening model to account for the hysteretic foundation response does not provide a good match between the simulated and computed damping. The hysteresis model proposed in this paper is a kinematic hardening model enhanced with a non-linear spring. It is an engineering solution to implement both a given load-dependent stiffness and load-dependent damping of a complex element subject to an irregular loading signal for purposes of time domain simulation. This model combines a kinematic hardening model which provides the required hysteresis with a non-linear elastic spring which provides the required stiffness. This model is suitable for time domain simulation of irregular loads and yields a propeller-like shape in the load-displacement plane. This paper introduces the problem of load-dependent stiffness and damping through a case study considering time domain simulation of the dynamic behavior of a jack-up platform. The paper presents a validation of the proposed model and a comparison between the common practice model and the enhanced kinematic hardening model.