Design of Ocean Floating Structures:Prediction of Hydrodynamic Coefficients

[Introduction] Accurate calculation of the hydrodynamic coefficients for floating structures and the investigation of the flow field distribution around floating bodies on the marine free surface are essential for improving the engineering design and application of marine structures.[Method] This study utilized the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) approach and the Reynolds Averaged NavierStokes(RANS) method and considered the effects of viscosity and free surface interactions on the hydrodynamic behavior of floating structures.By employing the dynamic mesh technique,this study simulated the periodic movements of simplified three-dimensional(3D)shapes:spheres,cylinders,and cubes,which were representative of complex marine structures.The volume of fluid(VOF) method was leveraged to accurately track the nonlinear behavior of the free surface.In this analysis,the added mass and damping coefficients for the fundamental modes of motion(surge,heave,and roll) were calculated across a spectrum of frequencies,facilitating the fast determination of hydrodynamic forces and moments exerted on floating structures.[Result] The results of this study are not only consistent with the results of the 3D potential flow theory but also further reflect the role of viscosity.This method can be used for precise calculation of the hydrodynamic coefficients of floating structures and for describing the flow field of such structures in motion on a free surface.[Conclusion] The methodology presented goes beyond the traditional potential flow approach.

Numerical Investigations on Transient Behaviours of Two 3-D Freely Floating Structures by Using a Fully Nonlinear Method

Two floating structures in close proximity are very commonly seen in offshore engineering. They are often subjected to steep waves and, therefore, the transient effects on their hydrodynamic features are of great concem. This paper uses the quasi arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian finite element method （QALE-FEM）, based on the fully nonlinear potential theory （FNPT）, to numerically investigate the interaction between two 3-D floating structures, which undergo motions with 6 degrees of freedom （DOFs）, and are subjected to waves with different incident angles. The transient behaviours of floating structures, the effect of the accompanied structures, and the nonlinearity on the motion of and the wave loads on the structures are the main focuses of the study. The investigation reveals an important transient effects causing considerably larger structure motion than that in steady state. The results also indicate that the accompanied structure in close proximity enhances the interaction between different motion modes and results in stronger nonlinearity causing 2hal-order component to be of similar significance to the fundamental one.

Time Domain Simulation of Transient Responses of Very Large Floating Structures Under Unsteady External Loads

A time domain finite element method （FEM） for the analysis of transient elastic response of a very large floating structure （VLFS） subjected to arbitrary time-dependent external loads is presented. This method is developed directly in time domain and the hydrodynamic problem is formulated based on linear, inviscid and slightly compressible fluid theory and the structural response is analyzed on the thin plate assumption. The time domain finite element procedure herein is validated by comparing numerical results with available experimental data. Finally, the transient elastic response of a pontoon-type VLFS under the landing of an airplane is computed by the proposed time domain FEM. The time histories of the applied force and the position and velocity of an airplane during landing are modeled with data from a Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet.

Hydroelastic Analysis of Very Large Floating Structures Using Plate Green Functions

Great attention has been paid to the development of very large floating structures. Owing to their extreme large size and great flexibility, the coupling between the structural deformation and fluid motion is significant. This is a typical problem of hydroelasticity. Efficient and accurate estimation of the hydroelastic response of very large floating structures in waves is very important for design. In this paper, the plate Green function and fluid Green function are combined to analyze the hydroelastic response of very large floating structures. The plate Green function here is a new one proposed by the authors and it satisfies all boundary conditions for free-free rectangular plates on elastic foundations. The results are compared with some experimental data. It is shown that the method proposed in this paper is efficient and accurate. Finally, various factors affecting the hydroelastic response of very large floating structures are also studied.

Computation of Design Load and Motion for Floating Structures Navigating in Waves

Analytical and numerical investigation is made of the source potential for-floating structure with forward speed in waves. A particular form is selected for numerical applications, where the double integral of the Green function is transformed into the single one and the oscillation characteristics for integrands in the specific computation domain are treated numerically. A comparison of calculated examples with published data is given and it shows that the numerical simulation is satisfactory and the accuracy is adequate to engineering application.

An introduction to hull design practices for deepwater floating structures

The concepts of floating structure plays a very important role in deepwater projects; and the design of the floating structure is one of the most important tasks in the project. The importance of the floating structure in offshore projects can be demonstrated in the following several areas： the substantial dynamic structure responses due to wave loading and current loading; the limited motion requirements of risers in deep water; and the increasing difficulty of installation for different components of the system. Three major technical aspects have to be considered, i.e. the strength of structure, the fatigue resistance capacity of the system, and local and global stability of the structure. This paper reviews the current design practice of floating structures, evaluates the main tasks during the design and associated major technical requirements, and addresses the major technical challenges encountered during the design. As a close-out of the paper, the authors discuss some potential future developments in the design of floating structures.

Transportation of Floating Structures by Using Newly Built Heavy Lifting Semi Vessel HYSY278

Transportation of floating structures for long distance has always been associated with the use of heavy semi transport vessel. The requirements of this type of vessel are always special, and its availability is limited. To prepare for the future development of the South China Sea deepwater projects, COOEC has recently built a heavy lift transport vessel - Hai Yang Shi You 278 （HYSY278）. This semi-submersible vessel has displacement capacity of 50k DWT, and a breath of 42 m. Understanding the vessel＇s applicability and preparing its use for future deepwater projects are becoming imminent need. This paper reviews the critical issues associated with the floating structure transportation and performs detailed analysis of two designed floating structures during transportation. The newly built COOEC transportation vessel HYSY278 will be used to dry transport the floating structures from COOEC fabrication yard in Qingdao to the oil field in the South China Sea. The entire process will start with load-out/float-offthe floating structures from the construction sites, offload the platform from the vessel if needed, dry transport floating structures through a long distance, and finally offload the platform. Both hydrodynamic and struc^tral analyses are performed to evaluate transport vessel and floating structures. Critical issues associated with the transportation and offloading of platform from the vessel will be studied in detail. Detailed study is performed to evaluate the response of the system during this phase and additional work needed to make the vessel feasible for use of this purpose. The results demonstrate that with proper modifications, HYSY278 can effectively be used for transporting structures with proper arrangement and well-prepared operation. The procedure and details are presented on the basis of study results. Special attentions associated with future use will also be discussed based on the results from analysis.

Probabilistic Methods for Reliability Assessment of Floating Structures Based on Extreme Wave Simulation

With the increasing application of floating platforms in deep waters and harsh environments,a proper assessment of the reliability of floating structures is important to ensure that these structures can operate safely during their design lives.This study outlines a practical methodology for reliability analysis of a semi-submersible platform based estimating the probability distribution of the extreme response in rough sea conditions(survival conditions).The Constrained NewWave(CNW)theory combined with Monte Carlo simulations was first applied to simulate the random wave surface elevation process in the time domain.A Gumbel distribution was the best fitting to describe the dynamically sensitive extreme response statistics under extreme waves(drift and mooring tension).The derived probability distribution of the extreme response was subsequently used in estimation of the associated limit state func-tion,and a reliability analysis of the floating structure was conducted using the Monte Carlo method.A semi-submersible platform in a water depth of 1500 m subjected to extreme wave loads was used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methodology.The probability of failure of the semi-submersible when considering mooring lines tension is greater than considering drift.

The progress in the verification of key technologies for floating structures near islands and reefs

In 2019 a Scientific Research&Demonstration Platform was deployed near islands and reefs in South China Sea by a joint research group of 7 institutes and universities in China.It is a simplified small model of a two-module semi-submersible-type VLFS.The test on site has continued for more than one and half years since then for long-term observations to validate the developed key technologies for design and behavior predictions of floating structures deployed near islands and reefs.An integrated information system was set up to continuously collect and inspect the data of the encountered waves,structure responses,connector forces,mooring line forces,anti-corrosion status of the platform,the performance efficiencies of a floating breakwater nearby and a wave energy converter attached on the breakwater.In this paper,the status of the on-site measurements and validations of the key technologies are briefly described.

Scour and liquefaction issues for anchors and other subsea structures in floating offshore wind farms: A review

This article reviews scouring and liquefaction issues for anchor foundations of floating offshore wind farms.The review is organized in two sections:(1)the scouring issues for drag-embedment anchors(DEAs)and other subsea structures associated with DEAs such as tensioners,clump weights,and chains in floating offshore wind farms;and(2)the liquefaction issues for the same types of structures,particularly for DEAs.The scouring processes are described in detail,and the formulae and design guidelines for engineering predictions are included for quantities like scour depth,time scale,and sinking due to general shear failure of the bed soil caused by scoui\The latter is furnished with numerical examples.Likewise,in the second section,the liquefaction processes are described with special reference to residual liquefaction where pore-water pressure builds up in undrained soils(such as fine sand and silt)under waves,leading to liquefaction of the bed soil and precipitating failure of DEAs and their associated subsea structures.An integrated mathematical model to deal with liquefaction around and the resulted sinking failure of DEAs,introduced in a recent study,has been revisited.Implementation of the model is illustrated with a numerical example.It is believed that the present review and the existing literatures from the"neighboring"fields form a complementary source of information on scour and liquefaction around foundations of floating offshore wind farms.

A LINEAR HYBRID MODEL OF MSE AND BEM FOR FLOATING STRUCTURES IN COASTAL ZONES

A linear hybrid model of Mild Slope Equation （MSE） and Boundary Element Method （BEM） is developed to study the wave propagation around floating structures in coastal zones. Both the wave refraction under the influence of topography and the wave diffraction by floating structures are considered. Hence, the model provides wave properties around the coastal floating structures of arbitrary shape but also the wave forces on and the hydrodynamic characteristics of the structures. Different approaches are compared to demonstrate the validity of the present hybrid model. Several numerical tests are carried out for the cases of pontoons under different circumstances. The results show that the influence of topography on the hydrodynamic characteristics of floating structures in coastal regions is important and must not be ignored in the most wave period range with practical interests.

Seabed structures and foundations related to deep-sea resource development:A review based on design and research

The deep‐sea ground contains a huge amount of energy and mineral resources,for example,oil,gas,and minerals.Various infrastructures such as floating structures,seabed structures,and foundations have been developed to exploit these resources.The seabed structures and foundations can be mainly classified into three types:subsea production structures,offshore pipelines,and anchors.This study reviewed the development,installation,and operation of these infrastructures,including their structures,design,installation,marine environment loads,and applications.On this basis,the research gaps and further research directions were explored through this literature review.First,different floating structures were briefly analyzed and reviewed to introduce the design requirements of the seabed structures and foundations.Second,the subsea production structures,including subsea manifolds and their foundations,were reviewed and discussed.Third,the basic characteristics and design methods of deep‐sea pipelines,including subsea pipelines and risers,were analyzed and reviewed.Finally,the installation and bearing capacity of deep‐sea subsea anchors and seabed trench influence on the anchor were reviewed.Through the review,it was found that marine environment conditions are the key inputs for any offshore structure design.The fabrication,installation,and operation of infrastructures should carefully consider the marine loads and geological conditions.Different structures have their own mechanical problems.The fatigue and stability of pipelines mainly depend on the soil‐structure interaction.Anchor selection should consider soil types and possible trench formation.These focuses and research gaps can provide a helpful guide on further research,installation,and operation of deep‐sea structures and foundations.

Study on Floating Properties and Stability of Air Floated Structures

In this paper, the buoyancy, kinetic properties and stability of air floated structures have been studied by theoretical and experimental methods. The equations for calculation of the buoyancy of the air floated buoy are derived according to the Boyler law and the equilibrium equations of the air floated structure are established. Through simplification of the air floated structure as a single freedom rigid body and spring system, the natural period of heaving and some kinetic properties are discussed. In the stability analysis, the formulas for calculation of the meta centric height are presented. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the data observed from the model test and prototype test. The air buoyancy decrease coefficient presented in this paper has a large influence on the floating state, stability and dynamic properties of the air floated structure. The stability of the air floated structure can also be judged by the parameter of meta centric height, and calculations show that the air floated structure is less stable than the conventional float.

Time Domain Calculation of Connector Loads of a Very Large Floating Structure

Loads generated after an air crash, ship collision, and other accidents may destroy very large floating structures （VLFSs） and create additional connector loads. In this study, the combined effects of ship collision and wave loads are considered to establish motion differential equations for a multi-body VLFS. A time domain calculation method is proposed to calculate the connector load of the VLFS in waves. The Longuet-Higgins model is employed to simulate the stochastic wave load. Fluid force and hydrodynamic coefficient are obtained with DNV Sesam software. The motion differential equation is calculated by applying the time domain method when the frequency domain hydrodynamic coefficient is converted into the memory function of the motion differential equation of the time domain. As a result of the combined action of wave and impact loads, high-frequency oscillation is observed in the time history curve of the connector load. At wave directions of 0° and 75°, the regularities of the time history curves of the connector loads in different directions are similar and the connector loads of C1 and C2 in the X direction are the largest. The oscillation load is observed in the connector in the Y direction at a wave direction of 75° and not at 0° This paper presents a time domain calculation method of connector load to provide a certain reference function for the future development of Chinese VLFS

Influence of Gaps Between Multiple Floating Bodies on Wave Forces

The present study aims to give general hints about hydrodynamic interactions for water wave diffraction on a super large floating structure composed of a large number of box-shaped modules with many small gaps in between. And meanwhile, it also aims to seek for an effective way to take the gap influence into consideration without numerical difficulties existing in conventional methods. An asymptotic matching technique is exploited by virtue of the smallness of gaps. Formal potential solutions are established for the near field around the gap ends and the far field away from gap ends, respectively, and the unknowns in those solutions are uniquely determined by asymptotic matching. The eigen-function expansion method is used for the outer far field and a series of pulsating sources at each gap end is introduced to simulate the gap influence. Strong hydrodynamic interaction is observed and a new resonant phenomenon, the mechanism of which differs absolutely from any known ones, is revealed in the present study. Sharp peak responses for both vertical and horizontal wave-exciting forces on each block are found around some special resonance frequencies, which depend on the draft of the structure and the gap width. The present results are of practical significance to the design of links (connectors) of modules for super large floating structures. And the importance is also closely related to the hydro-elasticity analysis for super large floating structures, in which local loads may be as important as the integrated loads.

A method to Estimate Dynamic Responses of VLFS Based on Multi-Floating-Module Model Connected by Elastic Hinges

Based on the elastic foundation beam theory and the multi-floating-module hydrodynamic theory,a novel method is proposed to estimate the dynamic responses of VLFS(Very Large Floating Structure).In still water,a VLFS can be simplified as an elastic foundation beam model or a multi-floating-module model connected by elastic hinges.According to equivalent displacement of the two models in static analysis,the problem of rotation stiffness of elastic hinges can be solved.Then,based on the potential flow theory,the dynamic responding analysis of multi-floatingmodule model under wave loads can be computed in ANSYS-AQWA software.By assembling the time domain analysis results of each module,the dynamic responses of the VLFS can be obtained.Validation of the method is conducted through a series of comparison calculations,which mainly includes a continuous structure and a three-part structure connected by hinges in regular waves.The results of this paper method show a satisfactory agreement with the experiment and calculation data given in relative references.

Hydroelastic interaction between water waves and thin elastic plate floating on three-layer fluid

The wave-induced hydroelastic responses of a thin elastic plate floating on a three-layer fluid, under the assumption of linear potential flow, are investigated for two-dimensional cases. The effect of the lateral stretching or compressive stress is taken into account for plates of either semi-infinite or finite length. An explicit expression for the dispersion relation of the flexural-gravity wave in a three-layer fluid is analytically deduced. The equations for the velocity potential and the wave elevations are solved with the method of matched eigenfunction expansions. To simplify the calculation on the unknown expansion coefficients, a new inner product with orthogonality is proposed for the three-layer fluid, in which the vertical eigenfunctions in the open-water region are involved. The accuracy of the numerical results is checked with an energy conservation equation, representing the energy flux relation among three incident wave modes and the elastic plate. The effects of the lateral stresses on the hydroelastic responses are discussed in detail.

Analysis of Responses of Floating Dual Pontoon Structure

A numerical model is developed by use of the boundary integral equation method to investigate the responses of a two-dimensional floating structure. The structure under consideration consisting of two pontoons, is connected by a rigid framework, and linked to the sea floor by a mooring system. The theoretical conception is based on potential theory with hnear external forces, and applied to an arbitrarily shaped body and water depth. The discussion includes the influence of draft and space between pontoons on the responses of the floating structure. Finally, the validity of the method is adequately verified by experimental results.

Investigation on Effects of Mooring Line Fractures and Connector Failures for A Hybrid Modular Floating Structure System

The present work reports a Hybrid Modular Floating Structure(HMFS)system with typical malfunction conditions.The effects of both fractured mooring lines and failed connectors on main hydrodynamic responses(mooring line tensions,module motions,connector loads and wave power production)of the HMFS system under typical sea con-ditions are comparatively investigated.The results indicate that the mooring tension distribution,certain module motions(surge,sway and yaw)and connector loads(Mz)are significantly influenced by mooring line fractures.The adjacent mooring line of the fractured line on the upstream side suffers the largest tension among the remaining mooring lines,and the case with two fractured mooring lines in the same group on the upstream side is the most dangerous among all cases of two-line failures in view of mooring line tensions,module motions and connector loads.There-fore,one emergency strategy with appropriate relaxation of a proper mooring line has been proposed and proved effective to reduce the risk of more progressive mooring line fractures.In addition,connector failures substantially affect certain module motions(heave and pitch),certain connector loads(Fz and My)and wave power production.The present work can be helpful and instructive for studies on malfunction conditions of modular floating structure(MFS)systems.

Reliability-Based Optimal Design for Very Large Floating Structure

Costs and losses induced by possible future extreme environmental conditions and difficulties in repairing post yielding damage strongly suggest the need for proper consideration in design rather than just life loss prevention. This can be addressed through the development of design methodology that balances the initial cost of the very large floating structure (VLFS) against the expected potential losses resulting from future extreme wave induced structural damage. Here, the development of a methodology for determining optimal, cost effective design will be presented and applied to a VLFS located in the Tokyo bay. Optimal design criteria are determined based on the total expected life cycle cost and acceptable damage probability and curvature of the structure, and a set of sizes of the structure are obtained. The methodology and applications require expressions of the initial cost and the expected life cycle damage cost as functions of the optimal design variables. This study includes the methodology, total life cycle cost function, structural damage modeling, and reliability analysis.