Estimating Design Loads with Environmental Contour Approach Using Copulas for an Offshore Jacket Platform

Jacket-type offshore platforms are widely used for oil, gas field, and energy development in shallow water. The design of a jacket structure is highly dependent on target environmental variables. This study focuses on a strategy to estimate design loads for offshore jacket structures based on an environmental contour approach. In addition to the popular conditional distribution model, various classes of bivariate copulas are adopted to construct joint distributions of environmental variables. Analytical formulations of environmental contours based on various models are presented and discussed in this study. The design loads are examined by dynamic response analysis of jacket platform. Results suggest that the conditional model is not recommended for use in estimating design loads in sampling locations due to poor fitting results. Independent copula produces conservative design loads and the extreme response obtained using the conditional model are smaller than those determined by copulas. The suitability of a model for contour construction varies with the origin of wave data. This study provides a reference for the design load estimation of jacket structures and offers an alternative procedure to determine the design criteria for offshore structures.

Load optimal design for a primary test stand facility based on a zero-dimensional load model

In order to couple the numerical simulation of a primary test stand driver with an optimal load design, a zero- dimensional wire array load model is designed based on the Saturn load model using PSPICE, which is an upgraded version of the Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis （SPICE） designed by the ORCAD Corporation to perform circuit simulations. This paper calculates different load parameters and discusses factors influencing the driving current curve. With appropriate driving current curves chosen, further magneto-hydrodynamic calculations are carried out and discussed to provide the best results for experiments. The suggested optimal load parameters play an important role in experimental load design.

Estimating Design Loads for Floating Structures Using Environmental Contours

Nonlinear time-domain simulations are often used to predict the structural response at the design stage to ensure the acceptable operation and/or survival of floating structures under extreme conditions.An environmental contour(EC)is commonly employed to identify critical sea states that serve as the input for numerical simulations to assess the safety and performance of marine structures.In many studies,marginal and conditional distributions are defined to construct bivariate joint probability distributions for variables,such as significant wave height and zero-crossing period.Then,ECs can be constructed using the inverse first-order reliability method(IFORM).This study adopts alternative models to describe the generalized dependence structure between environmental variables using copulas and discusses the Nataf transformation as a special case.ECs are constructed using measured wave data from moored buoys.Derived design loads are applied on a semisubmersible platform to assess possible differences.In addition,a linear interpolation scheme is utilized to establish a parametric model using short-term extreme tension distribution parameters and wave data,and the long-term tension response is estimated using Monte Carlo simulation.A 3D IFORM-based approach,in which the short-term extreme response that is ignored in the EC approach is used as the third variable,is proposed to help establish accurate design loads with increased accuracy.Results offer a clear illustration of the extreme responses of floating structures based on different models.

Linear and Non-linear Hydrodynamic Analysis for Structural Load of a Pipe-Laying Ship

The first decision we need to make in a structural load assessment is what approach should be applied, a linear approach or a non-linear one. The correct decision comes from understanding of the technology used in the linear and non-linear approaches and also comes from the understanding of the problem to he analyzed. From engineering practice, it has been found that many non-linear effects can be taken into account in a linear model with appropriate approach. A study of hydrodynamic structural load on a stinger of a pipe-laying vessel is presented in this paper. The results of a non-linear analysis are compared to those of linear models with different approaches, and how the nonlinear effect can be involved in a linear model is discussed. The recommendations on how to estimate the non-linear effects in a linear structural load model is discussed.

考虑腐蚀和液舱晃荡影响的养殖水舱结构响应计算

The environment and structure of the tanks used in aquaculture vessels are remarkably different from those of ordinary ships,and the resulting problem of structural strength is related to breeding safety.In this study,a model of aquaculture tank corrosion was constructed by using the multiphysical field coupling analysis software COMSOL Multiphysics,and wave and sloshing loads were calculated on the basis of potential flow theory and computational fluid dynamics.The influence of different calculation methods for corrosion allowance and sloshing load on the structural responses of aquaculture tanks was analyzed.Through our calculations,we found that the corrosion of aquaculture tanks is different from that of ordinary ships.The corrosion allowance in Rules for the Classification of Sea-going Steel Ships is small,and the influence of the aquaculture environment on corrosion can be ignored.Compared with the method set in the relevant rules,our proposed coupling direct calculation method for the structural response calculation of aquaculture tanks can better combine the specific environment of aquaculture tanks and provide more accurate calculations.

DIRECT DIGITAL DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF MESHING IN WORM-GEAR DRIVE

A direct digital design method （DDDM） of worm-gear drive is proposed. It is directly based on the simulation of manufacturing process and completely different from the conventional modeling method. The loaded tooth contact analysis （LTCA） method is analyzed, in which the advanced surface to surface searching technique is included. The influence of misalignment errors and contact deformations on contact zone and transmission error （TE） is discussed. Combined modification approach on worm tooth surface is presented. By means of DDDM and LTCA, it is very conven- ient to verify the effect of worm-gear drive＇s modification approach. The analysis results show that, the modification in profile direction reduces the sensitivity of worm-gear drive to misalignment errors and the modification in longitudinal direction decreases the TE. Thus the optimization design of worm-gear drive can be achieved prior to the actual manufacturing process.

Bridge pier failure probabilities under combined hazard effects of scour, truck and earthquake. Part Ⅰ: occurrence probabilities

In many regions of the world, a bridge will experience multiple extreme hazards during its expected service life. The current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials （AASHTO） load and resistance factor design （LRFD） specifications are formulated based on failure probabilities, which are fully calibrated for dead load and nonextreme live loads. Design against earthquake loads is established separately. Design against scour effect is also formulated separately by using the concept of capacity reduction （or increased scour depth）. Furthermore, scour effect cannot be linked directly to an LRFD limit state equation, because the latter is formulated using force-based analysis. This paper （in two parts） presents a probability-based procedure to estimate the combined hazard effects on bridges due to truck, earthquake and scour, by treating the effect of scour as an equivalent load effect so that it can be included in reliability-based bridge failure calculations. In Part I of this series, the general principle of treating the scour depth as an equivalent load effect is presented. The individual and combined partial failure probabilities due to truck, earthquake and scour effects are described. To explain the method of including non-force-based natural hazards effects, two types of common scour failures are considered. In Part 11, the corresponding bridge failure probability, the occurrence of scour as well as simultaneously having both truck load and equivalent scour load are quantitatively discussed.

Bridge pier failure probabilities under combined hazard effects of scour, truck and earthquake. Part Ⅱ: failure probabilities

In many regions of the world, a bridge will experience multiple extreme hazards during its expected service life. The current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials （AASHTO） load and resistance factor design （LRFD） specifications are formulated based on failure probabilities, which are fully calibrated for dead load and non-extreme live loads. Design against earthquake load effect is established separately. Design against scour effect is also formulated separately by using the concept of capacity reduction （or increased scour depth）. Furthermore, scour effect cannot be linked directly to an LRFD limit state equation because the latter is formulated using force-based analysis. This paper （in two parts） presents a probability-based procedure to estimate the combined hazard effects on bridges due to truck, earthquake and scour, by treating the effect of scour as an equivalent load effect so that it can be included in reliability-based failure calculations. In Part I of this series, the general principle for treating the scour depth as an equivalent load effect is presented. In Part II, the corresponding bridge failure probability, the occurrence of scour as well as simultaneously having both truck load and equivalent scour load effect are quantitatively discussed. The key formulae of the conditional partial failure probabilities and the necessary conditions are established. In order to illustrate the methodology, an example of dead, truck, earthquake and scour effects on a simple bridge pile foundation is represented.

Towards establishing practical multi-hazard bridge design limit states

In the U.S., the current Load and Resistance Factor Design （LRFD） Specifications for highway bridges is a reliability-based formulation that considers failure probabilities of bridge components due to the actions of typical dead load and frequent vehicular loads. Various extreme load effects, such as earthquake and vessel collision, are on the same reliability-based platform. Since these extreme loads are time variables, combining them with not considered frequent. non- extreme loads is a significant challenge. The number of design limit state equations based on these failure probabilities can be unrealistically large and unnecessary from the view point of practical applications. Based on the opinion of AASHTO State Bridge Engineers, many load combinations are insignificant in their states. This paper describes the formulation of a criterion to include only the necessary load combinations to establish the design limit states. This criterion is established by examining the total failure probabilities for all possible time-invariant and time varying load combinations and breaking them down into partial terms. Then, important load combinations can be readily determined quantitatively,

Key Techniques for the Construction of High-Speed Railway Large-Section Loess Tunnels

The successful completion of the Zhengzhou-Xi＇an high-speed railway project has greatly improved the construction level of China＇s large-section loess tunnels, and has resulted in significant progress being made in both design theory and construction technology. This paper systematically summarizes the tech- nical characteristics and main problems of the large-section loess tunnels on China＇s high-speed railway, including classification of the surrounding rock, design of the supporting structure, surface settlement and cracking control, and safe and rapid construction methods. On this basis, the key construction tech- niques of loess tunnels with large sections for high-speed railway are expounded from the aspects of design and construction. The research results show that the classification of loess strata surrounding large tunnels should be based on the geological age of the loess, and be determined by combining the plastic index and the water content. In addition, the influence of the buried depth should be considered. During tunnel excavation disturbance, if the tensile stress exceeds the soil tensile or shear strength, the surface part of the sliding trend plane can be damaged, and visible cracks can form. The pressure of the surrounding rock of a large-section loess tunnel should be calculated according to the buried depth, using the corresponding formula. A three-bench seven-step excavation method of construction was used as the core technology system to ensure the safe and rapid construction of a large-section loess tunnel, following a field test to optimize the construction parameters and determine the engineering measures to stabilize the tunnel face. The conclusions and methods presented here are of great significance in revealing the strata and supporting mechanics of large-section loess tunnels, and in optimizing the supporting structure design and the technical parameters for construction.

Bearing Behaviors of Stiffened Deep Cement Mixed Pile

A series of investigations were conducted to study the bearing capacity and load transfer mechanism of stiffened deep cement mixed （SDCM） pile. Laboratory tests including six specimens were conducted to investigate the frictional resistance between the concrete core and the cementsoil. Two model piles and twenty-four full-scale piles were tested to examine the bearing behavior of single pile. Laboratory and model tests results indicate that the cohesive strength is large enough to ensure the interaction between core pile and the outer cement-soil. The full-scale test results show that the SDCM piles exhibit similar bearing behavior to bored and cast-in-place concrete piles. In general, with the rational composite structure the SDCM piles can transmit the applied load effectively, and due to the addition of the stiffer core, the SDCM piles possess high bearing capacity. Based on the findings of these experimental investigations and theoretical analysi , a practical design method is developed to predict the vertical bearing capacity of SDCM pile.

A rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of coupler for analyzing train instability behavior during collision

Rail vehicles generate huge longitudinal impact loads in collisions.If unreasonable matching exists between the compressive strength of the intermediate coupler and the structural strength of the car body,the risk of car body structure damage and train derailment will increase.Herein,a four-stage rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of the coupler is established considering the coupler buckling load.The influence of the coupler buckling load on the train longitudinal-vertical-hori-zontal buckling behavior was studied,and the mechanism of the train horizontal buckling instability in train collisions was revealed.Analysis results show that an intermediate coupler should be designed to ensure that the actual buckling load is less than the compressive load when the car body structure begins to deform plastically.The actual buckling load of the coupler and the asymmetry of the structural strength of the car body in the lateral direction are two important influencing factors for the lateral buckling of a train collision.If the strength of the two sides of the car body structure in the lateral direction is asymmetrical,the deformation on the weaker side will be larger,and the end of the car body will begin to deflect under the action of the coupler force,which in turn causes the train to undergo sawtooth buckling.

Deviation of design air-conditioning load based on weather database of reference weather year and actual weather year

In Japan,in order to determine the capacity of air-conditioning equipment,designers usually use the weather database of Reference Weather Year(RWY)to obtain the design air-conditioning load by using software such as New HASP/ACLD and Building Energy Simulation Tool(BEST)that are often used in Japan.In recent years,with the global warming due to climate change,the weather database used to calculate air conditioning load also changes.Thus,in order to determine an appropriate capacity of air-conditioning equipment for energy conservation of buildings,the deviation of design air-conditioning load calculated using the weather database of RWY and Actual Weather Year(AWY)should be discussed.In this paper,New HASP/ACLD was used to calculate the building heat loads of eight major Japanese cities over 30 years(1981-2010)between RWY and AWY.The heat load at an exceedance probability of 2.5%is defined as the design air-conditioning load in this paper.Comparing the design air-conditioning load obtained from RWY and AWY,it is shown that it is not necessarily the most appropriate when using the RWY to calculate the design air-conditioning load,especially for heating load in winter.Additionally,it is also shown that the annual heating load time ratio has decreased and the annual cooling load time ratio has increased over the 30 years.

Research status and prospect of wind-vehicle-bridge coupling vibration system

To promote and develop the theoretical basis and application of the wind-vehicle-bridge coupling vibration system,the corresponding research status and prospects are reviewed and discussed from five aspects,i.e.,the analytical framework,the aerodynamic interference,the evaluation criteria,the design loads of long-span bridge and the double-deck railcum-road bridge.The refining process of analysis system is reviewed from the aspects of simulation wind load,vehicle load and bridge structure,and the corresponding coupling relationship.For aerodynamic interference,the development process is summarized from the simulative precision of the elements(wind,vehicle and bridge),the load cases and the object of interference.For evaluation criteria,the corresponding development course is summarized from the certain evaluation method to uncertain one.For long-span bridge design load,the wind and vehicle loads are reviewed and summarized from current multinational codes and theoretical research.For double-deck rail-cum-road bridge,the mechanism of multi-element coupling relationship and corresponding aerodynamic interference are both reviewed.By comprehensive review and summary,the analytical framework is in the process from simplification to refinement.The simulation and consideration of the objects of structural interference gradually become complex.The corresponding simulation theory,wind tunnel scale,test equipment and technology are the key factors to limit its development.For systematic evaluation of vehicle and bridge,the structural and systemic security are the basis of the evaluation,and the auxiliary components and functional evaluation need to be paid more attention.The evaluation criterion will be developed from certain method to reliability assessment.For design load of long-span bridge,the vehicle load is gradually transferred from the simple application of the design load of small-medium span bridge into a complex model considering the load characteristics.For double-deck rail-cum-road bridge,the basic theory and experimental study on coupling mechanism and aerodynamic interference need to be developed.

STUDIES ON STATISTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRESSURE FLUCTUATION AMPLITUDE IN OUTLET WORKS

The pressure fluctuation amplitude is very important for the load design of structures and to research flow cavitation, using 182 sample records of fluctuation pressure obtained from model tests and prototype observations for many kinds of outlet works,this paper studies statistical characteristics of fluctuating pressure amplitude in outlet works. The results indicate that the probability of fluctuating pressure amplitude in outlet works obeys Gaussian normal distribution,and the verification of prototype observation data from Gezhouba project further proves that the conclusion is true.

Performance of reliability-based design formats in geotechnical applications

Geotechnical design codes and guidelines are all switching from traditional factor of safety design to modern load and resistance factor design(LRFD)or partial factor design(PFD),in the belief that the latter two bring more flexibility and reliability consistency across various design scenarios,thus produce safe and cost-effective design outcomes.This paper first reviews the LRFD and PFD developed for geotechnical applications.A total of seven methods to calibrate the load and resistance factors are also introduced.The ability of the LRFD and PFD to produce designs with consistent reliability is examined and compared to that of a traditional factor of safety method using two examples of the bearing capacity of strip footings and the global stability of soil nail walls.Results showed that the framework of LRFD offers no apparent advantages over working stress design(WSD)in achieving more consistent reliability for geotechnical structures;the dispersion in design probabilities of failure could be five to seven orders of magnitude difference.The variation will be reduced to three orders if using the PFD.Neither reducing the variability in soil shear strength parameters nor allocating partial resistance factors with respect to soil types would efficiently harmonize the reliability levels when dealing with multiple soil layer conditions.In addition,the uniformity of reliability levels is insensitive to calibrations with or without presetting the load factors.This study provides insights into the LRFD and PFD frameworks currently developed for geotechnical applications.