Stress Concentration Factors at Saddle and Crown Positions on the Central Brace of Two-Planar Welded CHS DKT-connections

A set of parametric stress analyses was carried out for two-planar tubular DKT-joints under different axial loading conditions. The analysis results were used to present general remarks on the effects of the geometrical parameters on stress concentration factors （SCFs） at the inner saddle, outer saddle, and crown positions on the central brace. Based on results of finite element （FE） analysis and through nonlinear regression analysis, a new set of SCF parametric equations was established for fatigue design purposes. An assessment study of equations was conducted against the experimental data and original SCF database. The satisfaction of acceptance criteria proposed by the UK Department of Energy （UK DoE） was also checked. Results of parametric study showed that highly remarkable differences exist between the SCF values in a multi-planar DKT-joint and the corresponding SCFs in an equivalent uni-planar KT-joint having the same geometrical properties. It can be clearly concluded from this observation that using the equations proposed for uni-planar KT-connections to compute the SCFs in multi-planar DKT-joints will lead to either considerably under-predicting or over-predicting results. Hence, it is necessary to develop SCF formulae specially designed for multi-planar DKT-joints. Good results of equation assessment according to UK DoE acceptance criteria, high values of correlation coefficients, and the satisfactory agreement between the predictions of the proposed equations and the experimental data guarantee the accuracy of the equations. Therefore, the developed equations can be reliably used for fatigue design of offshore structures.

Risk-Identification-Based Hybrid Method for Estimating the System Reliability of Existing Jacket Platforms Under Fire

This paper proposes a risk-identification-based hybrid method for estimating the system reliability of steel jacket structures under fire.The proposed method starts with risk identification;according to the results of hazard identification and Dow’s fire and explosion index(F&EI) methodology,the most dangerous hazard sources are determined.In term of each equipment layout in steel jacket structures,fire load is imposed and elasto-plastic analysis is performed.According to the deformed state of steel jacket structures,the weakest failure mode of steel jacket structures is identified.In order to know the effect on ultimate bearing capacity of the offshore structural system,a series of elasto-plastic analyses are performed in which single failure element contained in the weakest failure mode is removed from the whole offshore platform structural system.Finally,the failure function of the steel jacket structure is generated and the failure probability of the steel jacket structure system is estimated under fire by genetic algorithm via MATLAB program.