In the development of oil and gas fields, subsea pipes are used in various applications, like pipelines and risers. During operation, risers can be subjected to accidents, such as collisions with other risers, anchors, rocks, or any heavy equipment or objects, which may lead to mechanical damages. These mechanical damages are commonly characterized as dents. The objective of this work is to study the effect of the introduction of plain dents on the fatigue life of rigid risers under fully reversed bending with the conduction of resonant bending tests. A three-dimensional finite element model was developed to estimate the stress concentration on dented risers under bending. Numerical simulations and experimental tests were carried out to evaluate the resulting stress concentration factors (SCFs). These SCFs can be used in the prediction of the remaining fatigue life of dented rigid risers.

The combined offshore wind and wave energy on an integrated platform is an economical solution for the offshore energy industry as they share the infrastructure and ocean space. The study presents the dynamic analysis of the Submerged Tension-Leg Platform (STLP) combined with a heaving-type point absorber wave energy converter (WEC). The feasibility study of the hybrid concept is performed using the aero-servo-hydro-elastic simulation tool FAST. The study analyzes the responses of the combined system to understand the influence of the WECs on the STLP platform for various operating conditions of the wind turbine under regular and irregular waves. Positive synergy is observed between the platform and the WECs, and the study also focuses on the forces and moments developed at the interface of the tower and platform to understand the effect of wind energy on the turbine tower and the importance of motion amplitudes on the performance of the combined platform system. The mean and standard deviation for the translation and rotational motions of combined wind and wave energy converters are determined for different sea states under both regular and irregular waves to analyze the change in responses of the structure. The study observed a reduction in motion amplitudes of the hybrid floating system with the addition of the wave energy converters around the STLP floater to improve the energy efficiency of the hybrid system. The study helps in understanding the best possible arrangement of point absorber-type wave energy converters at the conceptual stage of the design process.

This paper deals with statistical and modeling uncertainty on the estimation of long-term extrapolated extreme responses in a monopile offshore wind turbine. The statistical uncertainty is addressed by studying the effect of simulation length. Modeling uncertainty is explored by evaluating the effects of considering a rigid and flexible foundation. The soil's flexibility is taken into account by considering the improved apparent fixity method. To identify the most relevant environmental conditions, the modified environmental contour method is used. The analysis focuses on the fore-aft shear force (FASF) and the fore-aft bending moment (FABM) at the mudline. The results show that using a simulation length of 10 min does not provide sufficient accuracy. It was found that for the FASF, simulation lengths of at least 30 min are required to achieve an accuracy of about +/−5%. For the FABM, it was found that both the extrapolations made with 20 min and 30 min simulations achieved similar levels of accuracy of about 20%. Meanwhile, the results obtained from 10 min simulations reached deviations of about 40%. Finally, from the comparison made between a rigid and flexible foundation, it was found that the extrapolated responses exhibit maximum deviations up to around 5% and 10% for the FASF and the FABM, respectively. Also, for the FABM, it was observed that the consideration of a flexible foundation causes the critical wind speed to shift from 16.5 m/s (rigid) to 18 m/s (flexible).

Marine flexible risers are widely used in ocean oil and gas extraction, and need to withstand environment loads (wave and current) and the large offset of the floater. Therefore, the flexible riser is subjected to tension, bending, and torsion loads, which are mainly resisted by the key strengthening layer. Small bending stiffness of a cross section of the strengthening layer with larger tension and torsion stiffness are required to be compliant with the ocean environment. The traditional design of the key strengthening layer is partially rigid with larger cross-sectional stiffnesses. Therefore, the innovative configurations of the strengthening layer are imperative to make sure that the flexible riser is reliable and safe during the installation and operation. The strengthening layer of the flexible riser is treated as the cylindrical shell composed of periodic unit-cell beam structures, which is a hypothetical model. The optimization design is conducted through the novel implementation of the asymptotic homogenization (NIAH) method. The multi-objective collaborative flexibility optimization formulation of cylindrical shell structure is proposed, considering the ratio of cross-sectional tensile torsion stiffness to bending stiffness of the strengthening layer as the objectives. The optimal configuration results, the helically wound structures, are obtained, which are the alternative strengthening components of flexible risers. Finally, the optimal structures are compared with the commonly used marine flexible riser, which gives a great verification of the methodology feasibility and explains why the strengthening layer is designed as the type of helically wound structure.

In this article, the hydrodynamics of and nonlinear interaction between the large offshore fish farm “ShenLan 1” and regular waves are investigated using the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) toolbox REEF3D. The framework consists of a rigid body dynamics solver for the frame structure coupled to a fluid solver including the shielding effects of the nets. The solver and grid independence are validated using a 2D numerical wave tank, a free decay test, and a study of the wave loads on a rigid net panel. Then, the effects of regular wave parameters, the thickness of the vertical outer columns of the structure, and the variations of the aspect ratios on the loads, responses, and maximum mooring tension forces are studied. It is concluded that the response motion is sensitive to the wave period rather than the wave height due to the longer duration of unidirectional wave loads acting on the frame. The frequent events of partial submersions and wave overtopping in rather steep waves are confirmed through the capturing of the free surface. The net system accounts for about 30% of the total drag but does not influence the structural response to a larger extend. The effect of the aspect ratio on the hydrodynamics is more distinct than that of the frame thickness. As a result of the study, the first step toward a systemic evaluation of the importance of different structural parts of an offshore fish cage for the expected responses is provided.

This paper presents a finite element model for the simulation of ice–structure interaction problems, which are dominated by crushing. The failure mode of ice depends significantly on the strain rate. At low strain rates, the ice behaves ductile, whereas at high strain rates it reacts in brittle mode. This paper focuses on the brittle mode, which is the dominating mode for ship–ice interactions. A multitude of numerical approaches for the simulation of ice can be found in the literature. Nevertheless, the literature approaches do not seem suitable for the simulation of continuous ice–structure interaction processes at low and high confinement ratios in brittle mode. Therefore, this paper seeks to simulate the ice–structure interaction with the finite element method (FEM). The objective of the here introduced Mohr-Coulomb Nodal Split (MCNS) model is to represent the essential material behavior of ice in an efficient formulation. To preserve mass and energy as much as possible, the node splitting technique is applied, instead of the frequently used element erosion technique. The intention of the presented model is not to reproduce individual cracks with high accuracy, because this is not possible with a reasonable element size, due to the large number of crack fronts forming during the ice–structure interaction process. To validate the findings of the model, the simulated maximum ice forces and contact pressures are compared with ice extrusion and double pendulum tests. During validation, the MCNS model shows a very good agreement with these experimental values.

As the Floating Offshore Wind industry matures it has become increasingly important for researchers to determine the next generation materials and processes that will allow platforms to be deployed in intermediate (50-85 m) water depths which challenge the efficiency of traditional catenary chain mooring systems and fixed-bottom jacket structures. One such technology, synthetic ropes, have in recent years come to the forefront of this effort. The challenge of designing synthetic rope moorings is the complex nonlinear tension-strain response inherent of some rope material choices. Currently, many numerical tools for modeling the dynamic behavior of FOWTs are limited to mooring materials that have a linear tension- strain response. In this paper an open source FOWT design and analysis program, OpenFAST, was modified to capture the more complex tension-strain responses of synthetic ropes. Simulations from the modified OpenFAST tool were then compared with 1:52-scale test data for a 6MW FOWT Semi- submersible platform in 55m of water subjected to representative design load cases. A strong correlation between the simulations and test data was observed.

The dynamic response of a jacket-supported offshore wind turbine under coupled wind, wave, and current fields during Hurricane Sandy is the subject of this study. To illustrate the detailed procedure related to the response evaluation of a 5-MW offshore wind turbine with a jacket support structure, we consider a single site where the water depth is 50 m. Loads are computed using two simulation tools, fast and abaqus , with partial coupling. Aerodynamic loads on the turbine rotor are first evaluated using a wind turbine model in fast with a fixed base; then, these rotor aerodynamic loads are applied as point loads at the top of a model of a tower that is supported by a jacket structure in abaqus . On the basis of stochastic simulations, we discuss the applicability of the abaqus jacket modeling and describe the characteristics and comparisons of the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic effects on loads on the jacket members. Details related to the structural model and soil–pile interaction model employed in the analyses are also discussed.

The mechanical properties of welded DH36 steel at low temperatures are important to the safety of structures in Polar areas. The purpose of the study is to investigate the static and cyclic behavior of welded DH36 steel at low temperatures based on tensile and fatigue tests. The ductile to brittle transition and fatigue ductile to brittle transition of welded DH36 steel occurred at low temperatures. Finally, some relevant applications of the results within the context of polar engineering and design are discussed in the last part of the present study.

Ice sheet bending failures have been investigated extensively for ice loads on conical offshore structures and icebreakers in arctic regions. Most previous theoretical studies focus on bending failures of semi-infinite level ice, ice wedges, or finite-sized rectangular ice floes. For indented ice sheet bending failures, analytical ice load models have been developed by assuming a radial-before-circumferential cracking pattern. Recently, real-time simulations of ice-structure interactions are gaining increasing traction due to their great application potential. The analytical or semi-analytical models implemented into the real-time simulator significantly influence the accuracy of real-time simulations. Against this backdrop, the cracking pattern assumption needs to be more critically examined, and the criterion for cracking pattern determinations is in demand for utilizing different models for different cracking patterns in real-time simulations. Motivated by this need, the current paper establishes the cracking pattern determination criterion for indented ice sheet bending failures, based on the theory of plates on elastic foundations and normalized formulae. It is found that large indentation lengths and radii of structure waterline curvature induce a circumferential-before-radial cracking pattern. Conversely, small indentation lengths and radii of structure waterline curvature result in a radial-before-circumferential cracking pattern.

This article presents an experimental test program and numerical analyses conducted on aluminum alloy drill pipes with two different geometries. Small-scale characterization tests were conducted to determine both the material mechanical properties and the fatigue S–N curves. Full-scale fatigue tests of the components are also presented. A finite element model of the drill pipes, including the tool-joint region, was developed. The model simulates, through different load steps, the tool-joint hot-assembly and the experimental loads to obtain the actual stress distribution during the full-scale tests. Maximum stress amplitude in the aluminum pipes was found to be coincident with the edge of the connector, at the same location where failure was observed in full-scale tests. The study revealed that such pipes present a complex stress state near their connection to the steel tool-joints due to their geometry and the residual stresses induced during the assembly of the steel connectors onto the aluminum pipes. Finally, multi-axial fatigue models were calibrated with the results of the small-scale tests and applied to the stress–strain state obtained numerically. Theoretical predictions were correlated with full-scale fatigue test results.

Wrinkle defects can be complex pipeline deformities to assess and can present the potential to initiate a pipeline release incident as a result of fatigue failure due to pressure cycling, if not dealt with accordingly. Specifically, the stress distribution arising due to applied loads such as internal pressure can vary rapidly due to the complex shape along the wrinkle profile, which may introduce complexities in subsequent assessments such as fatigue life analysis. This paper presents a methodology using numerical simulation for evaluating stress concentration factors of wrinkle defects of varying geometries. A nonlinear finite element model is developed to evaluate stress concentration factors induced by wrinkle defects within steel pipelines subjected to internal pressure. Afterward, data from full-scale laboratory tests for the wrinkled pipe specimens subjected to cyclic pressure fatigue loading are analyzed to evaluate stress concentration factors for comparable wrinkle profiles. Lastly, a comparison between the results of the stress concentration factors evaluated using the finite element method and test data is provided, followed by a brief discussion of potential sources of discrepancies between results obtained from these methods.

This paper presents a comparative numerical study on liquefied natural gas (LNG) pump tower loads, while focusing on two aspects. First, are impact loads relevant for the structural design of LNG pump towers and, second, in which way does fluid–structure interaction influence these loads? Numerical simulations of the multiphase problem were conducted using viscous field methods. First, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations, extended by the volume of fluid (VoF) approach, were used to simulate, at model scale, the flow inside a three-dimensional LNG tank without the tower structure. Then, these results were used to validate the numerical method against model test measurements. Afterward, motion periods and amplitudes were systematically varied in the flow simulations. Flow velocities and accelerations along the positions of the main structural members of the pump tower were extracted and used as input data for load approximations based on the Morison equation. Finally, these load approximations were compared with loads determined from solving the delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES). Time histories as well as statistical measures of global loads acting on the entire and the simplified tower structure were of the same order of magnitude. However, their time evolution differed, especially at their peaks, and this was considered significant for structural design.

Design of a steel catenary riser requires the use of connection hardware to decouple the large bending moments induced by the host floater at the hang-off location. Reliability of this connection hardware is essential, particularly in applications involving high pressure and high temperature fluids. One option for this connection hardware is the metallic tapered stress joint. Titanium (Ti) Grade 29 has been identified as an attractive material candidate for demanding stress joint applications due to its “high strength, low weight, superior fatigue performance and innate corrosion resistance”. 2 Titanium stress joints for deepwater applications are typically not fabricated as a single piece due to titanium ingot volume limitations, thus making an intermediate girth weld necessary to satisfy length requirements. As with steel, the potential effect of hydrogen embrittlement induced by cathodic and galvanic potentials must be assessed to ensure long-term weld integrity. This paper describes testing from a joint industry project (JIP) conducted to qualify titanium stress joint (TSJ) welds for ultra-deepwater applications under harsh service and environmental conditions. Corrosion-fatigue crack growth rate (CFCGR) results for Ti Grade 29 flat welding-groove weld (1G/PA) gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) specimens in seawater under cathodic potential and sour brine under galvanic potential are presented and compared to vendor recommended design curves.

This paper proposes several schemes for optimal scheduling of power producers in a shipboard power system for a typical offshore supply vessel, having a multiple number of possibly varying capacity gensets. The proposed scheduling methods are illustrated using four alternative power system configurations, ranging from a few large gensets to many gensets of smaller ratings. Mixed integer linear programming is used to formulate the optimization problems. Three formulations are presented: one for minimizing online capacity without further objectives, one that includes a redundancy constraint for loosing a group of gensets (to account for a worst-case failure scenario), and one to also balance running hours and minimizing connect/disconnect of the gensets. These different objectives can be combined and weighted based on importance, with or without redundancy constraints. Simulations are carried out to demonstrate the properties of the three different scheduling methods. The first method, minimizing online capacity only, is also used to illustrate the differences between the four genset configurations. This shows, for instance, that using more small gensets ensures generally a lower online available power (the connected capacity matches better the prevailing load) and near optimal loading of each genset around 80% (assuming equal loadsharing), at the same time as resilience to genset failures is preserved.

This article presents numerical studies on the drag evolution of an axisymmetric body of revolution with microgrooves using Reynolds stress model-based computational fluid dynamics simulations. Experimental data of drag evolution along the non-grooved body were used to validate the numerical model predictions. After validation of the model predictions, a series of numerical simulations were performed to study the effect of toroidal grooving of the axisymmetric body on the drag evolution by varying the depth to the surface radius of the grooves at different Reynolds numbers. A maximum drag reduction of 43% was achieved with such effort. This was possible because of the drastic reduction of turbulent shear stress in the boundary layer, which has a direct relationship with the skin friction drag evolution along the body.

The accuracy of an existing analytical solution for modeling the linear, first-order wave-induced loads on a fully submerged body is investigated. The accuracy is assessed for the situation where the underlying theoretical assumptions are met, and the sensitivity of the accuracy to these assumptions is also explored. The accuracy was quantified by comparing the analytical solutions to experimental measurements from a tow tank with wave generation capability. The assessment showed that when all the assumptions are met, the heave and surge forces are predicted quite accurately but the pitch moment is overpredicted. The results also showed that the deeply submerged assumption is met as long as the body does not cause a disruption of the passing wave on the free surface. The slenderness and end face curvature assumptions are also quite relaxed and the curvature assumption only affects the pitch moment accuracy. The most stringent assumption appears to be the body-of-revolution assumption which can cause all three loads to be predicted poorly. The analytical solution appears to be accurate over a large parameter space and could be incorporated as a wave disturbance model into a virtual environment used to develop control and autonomy of unmanned underwater vehicles.

The present work proposes a novel structural configuration for floating wind farms after an investigation into the structural configurations of current floating wind farms. The uniqueness of the structural configuration lies in the ability to adjust its heading to wind inflow directions, i.e., the self-adaptive property. To verify the existence of the self-adaptive property, a structural design is performed, and a quasi-static framework to analyze the responses is established. To simplify the loads on wind turbines under yawed inflow conditions, empirical expressions for wind loads are proposed, based on which the quasi-static analysis is performed under the yawed inflow direction of 90 deg from the structural heading. The analytical result indicates that under yawed inflow conditions, the structural heading will eventually turn to align with the wind inflow direction on account of the structural configuration and the wind turbine control. Then, the effects of inflow wind velocity, initial offset, number of wind turbines, complex environmental conditions, and hydroelastic properties on the responses of the structure are investigated.

The cross section of thermoplastic composite pipes (TCPs) consists of three layers: an inner liner, reinforcement laminates, and an outer jacket; the three layers are fully bonded together to form a solid-walled structure. In this study, the mechanical behaviors of TCPs under internal pressures were investigated using analytical and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. The analytical method that is based on the three-dimensional (3D) anisotropy elastic theory takes into account the nonuniform distribution of stresses and strains through the wall thickness of the pipe. FEA models were setup using the software abaqus to predict the stress distribution of a TCP. The 3D Tsai-Wu failure criterion was used to predict the maximum burst pressure of TCPs. Effects of winding angles and the number of reinforcement plies on the burst pressure of TCPs were studied. Results derived from the analytical method and the FEA method verified each other, which show that the burst pressure of a TCP increases asymptotically as the number of reinforcement plies increases. The optimal winding angle associated with the maximum burst pressure is not a constant value, instead, it varies as the thickness of the laminate layer increases. This study provides useful tools and guidance for the design and analysis of TCPs, while further validation experiments are still needed.