Sensitivity Analysis of Air Gap Motion with Respect to Wind Load and Mooring System for Semi-Submersible Platform Design

A design of semi-submersible platform is mainly based on the extreme response analysis due to the forces experienced by the components during lifetime. The external loads can induce the extreme air gap response and potential deck impact to the semi-submersible platform. It is important to predict air gap response of platforms accurately in order to check the strength of local structures which withstand the wave slamming due to negative air gap. The wind load cannot be simulated easily by model test in towing tank whereas it can be simulated accurately in wind tunnel test. Furthermore, full scale simulation of the mooring system in model test is still a tuffwork especially the stiffness of the mooring system. Owing to the above mentioned problem, the model test results are not accurate enough for air gap evaluation. The aim of this paper is to present sensitivity analysis results of air gap motion with respect to the mooring system and wind load for the design of semi-submersible platform. Though the model test results are not suitable for the direct evaluation of air gap, they can be used as a good basis for tuning the radiation damping and viscous drag in numerical simulation. In the presented design example, a numerical model is tuned and validated by ANSYS AQWA based on the model test results with a simple 4 line symmetrical horizontal soft mooring system. According to the tuned numerical model, sensitivity analysis studies of air gap motion with respect to the mooring system and wind load are performed in time domain. Three mooring systems and five simulation cases about the presented platform are simulated based on the results of wind tunnel tests and sea-keeping tests. The sensitivity analysis results are valuable for the floating platform design.

Investigation of the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Novel Semi-Submersible Platform with Multiple Small Columns

This paper presents a novel semi-submersible(SEMI) platform concept, called the multiple small columns(MSC) SEMI that improves upon the hydrodynamic performance of the conventional SEMI. Unlike the conventional SEMI, the proposed MSC SEMI utilizes multiple small circular columns to support the deck and a large pontoon that increases the structural displacement. The novelty of the MSC SEMI is its reduction of the hydrodynamic load on the structure and suppression of its motion response, particularly in the heave direction. The MSC SEMI has the advantages of increasing the added mass, radiation damping, and natural period of the structure. A comprehensive investigation of the hydrodynamic performance of the novel MSC SEMI is conducted in both the time and frequency domains with a special focus on the resulting hydrodynamic load and motion response. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the MSC SEMI concept can reduce the hydrodynamic load and motion response and improve the hydrodynamic performance of SEMIs as expected.

Structural Stress Monitoring and FEM Analysis of the Cutting Operation of the Main Bracket of A Semi-Submersible Platform

For a semi-submersible platform in repair, the eight old main brackets which connect columns with pontoons need to be replaced by new ones. In order to ensure the safety of the cutting operation of the old main bracket and calculate the initial stress condition of new main bracket, the structural stress monitoring of eight key spots is carried out, and then the calibrated finite element model is established according to the field monitoring results. Before cutting the main bracket and all associated structures, eight rectangular rosettes were installed, and a tailored cutting scheme was proposed to release the initial stress, in which the main bracket and associated column and pontoon plates were partly cut. During the cutting procedure, the strains of the monitoring spots were measured, and then the structural stress of the monitored spots were obtained. The stress variation characteristics at different spots during the initial cutting operation were shown and the initial stress condition of the monitored spots was figured out. The loading and support conditions of the semi-submersible platform were calibrated based on the measured initial stress condition, which made the finite element model more credible. The stress condition with the main bracket and associated structures being entirely cut out is analyzed by the Finite Element Method (FEM), which demonstrates the cutting operation to be safe and feasible. In addition, the calibrated finite element model can be used to calculate the initial stress condition of the new main bracket, which will be very helpful for the long-term stress monitoring on the main bracket.

Analysis of the Effect of Supplying Vessel on Wave Drift Force of Semi-Submersible Platform

Wave drift force is the key factor affecting the mooring ability of semi-submersible platform. Aiming at the mooring system composed of replenishment ship and semi-submersible platform, the influence of hydrodynamic interference on semi-submersible platform is analyzed. Based on the three-dimensional potential flow theory and AQWA software, the effects of different wave directions and spacing on the wave drift force of semi-submersible platform are considered. The results show that the hydrodynamic interference of the replenishment ship will affect the wave drift force of the semi-submersible platform, and the influence of the distance between adjacent vessels and the wave direction angle is more sensitive in the middle and high wave frequencies. This paper can provide support for the research of hydrodynamic interference of semi-submersible platform.

Predictive Control and Implementation of Mooring Automatic Positioning System for Deepwater Semi-Submersible Platform

The automatic positioning control of mooring system for deepwater semi-submersible platform has become a key issue in the research and development field of deep-sea resources. The Dual-Stage Actuator (DSA) proposed in this paper can replace the single actuator to achieve the high speed and high precision positioning by cooperative control. The relative model and control algorithm of motion trajectory (CAMT) are designed and validated, which proves that the method proposed in this paper is effective.

Implementation of Mooring Automatic Positioning System for Deepwater Semi-Submersible Platform Based on Dual-Stage Actuator

The automatic positioning control of mooring system for deepwater semi-submersible platform has become a key issue in the research and development field of deep-sea resources. The Dual- Stage Actuator (DSA) proposed in this paper can replace the single actuator to achieve the high speed and high precision positioning by cooperative control. The relative model and control algorithm of motion trajectory (CAMT) are designed and validated, which proves that the method proposed in this paper is effective.

Strength Analysis on Brace Structure for Semi-Submersible in Consideration of Wave Slamming

Slamming on bracings of column stabilized units shall be considered as a possible limiting criterion under transit condition based on the requirements in DNV-OS-C103. However, the wave slamming loads under survival condition were ignored for the strength analysis of the brace structures in many semi-submersible projects. In this paper, a method of strength analysis of brace structure is proposed based on the reconstruction and extrapolation of numerical model. The full-scale mooring system, the wind, wave and current loads can be considered simultaneously. Firstly,the model tests of the semi-submersible platform in wind tunnel and wave tanker have been carried out. Secondly,the numerical models of the platform are reconstructed and extrapolated based on the results of model tests. Then, a nonlinear numerical analysis has been conducted to study the wave slamming load on brace in semi-submersible platform through the reconstructed and extrapolated numerical model. For the randomness of wave load, ten subcases under each condition have been carried out. The value of the 90% Gumble distribution values of the ten subcases are used. Finally, the strength on brace structure has been analyzed considering the wave slamming. The wave slamming loads have been compared between the survival condition and transit condition with the method. The results indicate that wave slamming under survival condition is more critical than that under transit condition.Meanwhile, the wave slamming is significant to the structural strength of the brace. It should be overall considered in the strength analysis of the brace structure.

Numerical and Experimental Study on Hydrodynamic Performance of A Novel Semi-Submersible Concept

The Multiple Column Platform(MCP) semi-submersible is a newly proposed concept, which differs from the conventional semi-submersibles, featuring centre column and middle pontoon. It is paramount to ensure its structural reliability and safe operation at sea, and a rigorous investigation is conducted to examine the hydrodynamic and structural performance for the novel structure concept. In this paper, the numerical and experimental studies on the hydrodynamic performance of MCP are performed. Numerical simulations are conducted in both the frequency and time domains based on 3D potential theory. The numerical models are validated by experimental measurements obtained from extensive sets of model tests under both regular wave and irregular wave conditions. Moreover, a comparative study on MCP and two conventional semi-submersibles are carried out using numerical simulation.Specifically, the hydrodynamic characteristics, including hydrodynamic coefficients, natural periods and motion response amplitude operators(RAOs), mooring line tension are fully examined. The present study proves the feasibility of the novel MCP and demonstrates the potential possibility of optimization in the future study.

Study on Global Performances and Mooring-Induced Damping of A Semi-Submersible

The harsh environmental conditions bring strong nonlinearities to the hydrodynamic performances of the offshore floating platforms, which challenge the reliable prediction of the platform coupled with the mooring system. The present study investigates a typical semi-submersible under both the operational and the survival conditions through numerical and experimental methods. The motion responses, the mooring line tensions, and the wave loads on the longitudinal mid-section are investigated by both the fully non-linearly coupled numerical simulation and the physical experiment. Particularly, in the physical model test, the wave loads distributed on the semi-submersible＇s mid-section were measured by dividing the model into two parts, namely the port and the starboard parts, which were rigidly connected by three six-component force transducers. It is concluded that both the numerical and physical model can have good prediction of the semi-submersible＇s global responses. In addition, an improved numerical approach is proposed for the estimation of the mooting-induced damping, and is validated by both the experimental and the published results. The characteristics of the mooring-induced damping are further summarized in various sea states, including the operational and the survival ~nvironments. In order to obtain the better prediction of the system response in deep water, the mooring-induced damping of the truncated mooring lines applied in the physical experiment are compensated by comparing with those in full length. Furthermore, the upstream taut and the downstream slack mooring lines are classified and investigated to obtain the different mooring line damping performances in the comparative study.

First Rocketsonde Launched from an Unmanned Semi-submersible Vehicle

The unmanned semi-submersible vehicle(USSV) developed by the unmanned surface vehicle team of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics is an unmanned, rugged, and high-endurance autonomous navigation vessel designed for the collection of long-term, continuous and real-time marine meteorological measurements, including atmospheric sounding in the lower troposphere. A series of river and sea trials were conducted from May 2016 to November 2017, and the first rocketsonde was launched from the USSV. Real-time meteorological parameters in the marine atmospheric boundary layer(MABL) were obtained, including sea surface temperature, and vertical profiles of the pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed,and wind direction. These data are extremely useful and important for research on air–sea interactions, sea surface heat and latent heat flux estimations, MABL modeling, and marine satellite product validation.

Dynamics of Large-Truncated Mooring Systems Coupled with A Catenary Moored Semi-Submersible

With the floating structures pushing their activities to the ultra-deep water, model tests have presented a challenge due to the limitation of the existing wave basins. Therefore, the concept of truncated mooring system is implemented to replace the full depth mooring system in the model tests, which aims to have the same dynamic responses as the full depth system. The truncated mooring system plays such a significant role that extra attention should be paid to the mooring systems with large truncation factor. Three different types of large truncation factor mooring system are being employed in the simulations, including the homogenously truncated mooring system, non-homogenously truncated mooring system and simplified truncated mooring system. A catenary moored semi-submersible operating at 1000 m water depth is presented. In addition, truncated mooring systems are proposed at the truncated water depth of 200 m. In order to explore the applicability of these truncated mooring systems, numerical simulations of the platform’s surge free decay interacting with three different styles of truncated mooring systems are studied in calm water. Furthermore, the mooring-induced damping of the truncated mooring systems is simulated in the regular wave. Finally, the platform motion responses and mooring line dynamics are simulated in irregular wave. All these simulations are implemented by employing full time domain coupled dynamic analysis, and the results are compared with those of the full depth simulations in the same cases. The results show that the mooring-induced damping plays a significant role in platform motion responses, and all truncated mooring systems are suitable for model tests with appropriate truncated mooring line diameters. However, a large diameter is needed for simplified truncated mooring lines. The suggestions are given to the selection of truncated mooring system for different situations as well as to the truncated mooring design criteria.

Mechanistic Drifting Forecast Model for A Small Semi-Submersible Drifter Under Tide–Wind–Wave Conditions

Understanding the drifting motion of a small semi-submersible drifter is of vital importance regarding monitoring surface currents and the floating pollutants in coastal regions. This work addresses this issue by establishing a mechanistic drifting forecast model based on kinetic analysis. Taking tide–wind–wave into consideration, the forecast model is validated against in situ drifting experiment in the Radial Sand Ridges. Model results show good performance with respect to the measured drifting features, characterized by migrating back and forth twice a day with daily downwind displacements. Trajectory models are used to evaluate the influence of the individual hydrodynamic forcing. The tidal current is the fundamental dynamic condition in the Radial Sand Ridges and has the greatest impact on the drifting distance. However, it loses its leading position in the field of the daily displacement of the used drifter. The simulations reveal that different hydrodynamic forces dominate the daily displacement of the used drifter at different wind scales. The wave-induced mass transport has the greatest influence on the daily displacement at Beaufort wind scale 5–6; while wind drag contributes mostly at wind scale 2–4.

Research on the Effects of in-Line Oscillatory Flow on the Vortex-Induced Motions of A Deep Draft Semi-Submersible in Currents

A Deep Draft Semi-submersible （DDS） under certain flow conditions could be subjected to Vortex-Induced Motions （VIM）, which significantly influences the loads on and life fatigue of the moorings and the risers. To investigate the VIM of a DDS with four rectangular section columns in waves coupled with a uniform current, a numerical study using the computational fluid dynamics （CFD） method was conducted. The issues of the VIM of multi-column floaters can be con＇,＇eniently converted to the issues of oscillating cylinders in fluid cross flows. This paper looks into the CFD numerical simulation of infinite cylinders having rectangular sections in a two-dimensional sinusoidal time- dependent flow field coupled with a uniform current. The resulted hydrodynamic forces and motion responses in different oscillatory flows plus currents both aligned in the same direction for the incidence of 135° of the DDS relative to the flow are compared with the ones in current only cases. The results show that the VIM response of this geometric arrangement of a DDS with four rectangular columns in a current combined with oscillatory flows is more evident than that in the current only case. The oscillatory flows and waves have the significant influence on the VIM response, forces and trajectory, in-plane motions of the DDS.

Fuzzy Optimum Model of Semi-Structural Decision for Lectotype Optimization of Offshore Platforms

In the process of concept design of offshore platforms, it is necessary to select the best from feasible alternatives through comparison and filter. The criterion set, used to evaluate and select the satisfying alternative, consists of many qualitative and quantitative factors. Therefore, the selection is a problem of multicriteria and semi-structural decision-making. Different from traditional methods in semi-structural decision-making, a new framework and methodology is presented in this paper for evaluation of offshore platform alternatives, First, the criterion set is established for the evaluation of alternatives. Next, the approach is studied to construct the relative membership degree matrix, in which both qualitative and quantitative factors are consistent with the uniform calculating standard. And then a new weight-assessing method is developed for calculation of the weights based on the relative membership degree matrix. Finally, a multi-hierarchy fuzzy optimum model is adopted to select the satisfying offshore platform alternative. A case study shows that the new framework and methodology are scientific, reasonable and easy to use in practice.

Semi-Active Control of Wave-Induced Vibration for Offshore Platforms by Use of MR Damper

The objective of the present research is to examine the effectiveness of the lateral vibration control of wave-excited response of offshore platforms with magneto-rheological (MR) damper. In this study, the offshore platform is simplified to be a singled degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system by extracting the first vibration mode of the structure. The external 'generalized' wave force is determined with a white noise via a designed filter. A semi-active control method based on optimal control theory is proposed considering that the yield stress of the MR damper can he varied continuously within a certain range. The dynamics of SDOF structure coupled with the MR damper is investigated. Numerical simulation demonstrates that the MR damper with this control strategy can significantly reduce the maximum responses and the root-mean-square (RMS) values.

Semi-Active TLCD Control of Fixed Offshore Platforms Using Artifical Neural Networks

In this paper, the control method for fixed offshore platforms using semi-active tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) is presented. The equation of motion for the platform-TLCD control system is given and the semi-active control strategy is established. A back propagation artificial neural network (ANN) is used to adjust the orifice opening of TLCD because of the nonlinear motion of liquid in TLCD. The effectiveness of the control method is verified by numerical examples.

Numerical Study on the Probability of Fatigue Failure of a Semi-Submerged Platform Structure

On the basis of Miner's linear cumulative damage theorem, random variables are introduced to evaluate objectively the fatigue damage of a semi-submerged platform structure and a method is presented to analyze the fatigue reliability of the structure in its design life. The reliability of the method is verified through numerical examples and some conclusions are drawn, which have certain guiding and reference value for design and inspection.

基于实测数据的半潜式平台贝叶斯模型修正方法研究

随着半潜式平台的长期海上服役,平台的基本设计参数会发生变化,如仍基于原始设计参数对平台进行分析将影响结果的准确性。本文以半潜式平台服役中易发生变化的基本参数(平台排水量、重心高度和三个自由度回转半径)作为修正参数,以平台横摇、纵摇和垂荡自由度的方差和波频功率谱密度构建目标函数,建立可依据实测数据的半潜式平台贝叶斯参数修正方法。以我国某半潜式平台实测数据为例,开展平台的参数修正研究,并基于修正后的参数对平台多年一遇环境荷载下的响应进行对比评估。

深水半潜式钻井平台水下设备作业虚拟仿真教学平台构建

深水油气钻井与陆地及浅水的同类作业存在显著差异,给海洋油气工程专业学生的现场实习、实践带来了诸多困难。为加深学生对深水油气钻井工程装备的认知,采用虚拟仿真技术,构建还原度高、实战性强的深水半潜式钻井平台水下设备作业虚拟仿真教学平台,实现隔水管运移存储及下放、隔水管与上部升沉补偿装置及底部立管总成的连接、水下防喷器结构及安装等功能,帮助学生在无需前往深水平台的前提下、在虚拟环境中系统掌握水下设备的操控方法及作业程序,提升学生的深水钻井作业的工程实践能力。

基于无模型自适应控制的半潜式平台运动性能研究

南海海域油气资源极其丰富,半潜式平台在该海域工作时常常面临着系泊失效这一重大危险情况。该研究以一艘装配有悬链式系泊系统和DP-3动力定位系统的半潜式平台为研究对象,利用AQWA软件开展系泊失效前后半潜式平台运动性能研究。同时,借助于AQWA软件二次开发功能,将无模型自适应控制作为动力定位系统控制理论,以研究半潜式平台系泊失效后运动性能恢复。数值仿真模拟结果表明,采用无模型自适应控制作为动力定位系统控制理论的半潜式平台能很好地恢复系泊失效后的运动性能,有效地减小系泊失效带来的危害;基于偏格式动态线性化和全格式动态线性化的无模型自适应控制比基于紧格式动态线性化的无模型自适应控制能让半潜式平台更快地恢复运动性能。