• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.848-857
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• 2021

This paper proposes an efficient approach based on a machine learning technique to predict the local stresses on mooring chain links. Three-link and multi-link finite element analyses were conducted for a target chain link of D107 with steel grade R4; 24,000 and 8000 analyses were performed, respectively. Two serial Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models based on a deep multi-layer perceptron technique were developed. The first ANN model corresponds to multi-link analyses, where the input neurons were the tension force and angle and the output neurons were the interlink angles. The second ANN model corresponds to the three-link analyses with the input neurons of the tension force, interlink angle, and the local stress positions, and the output neurons of the local stress. The predicted local stresses for the untrained cases were reliable compared to the numerical simulation results.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.297-309
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• 2018

After an accident involving mooring link failures in an offloading buoy, verification of the fatigue safety in terms of the out-of-plane bending (OPB) and in-plane bending (IPB) moments has become a key engineering item in the design of various floating offshore units. The mooring links for an 8 MW floating offshore wind turbine were selected for this study. To identify the OPB stiffness (OPB moment versus interlink angle), a numerical simulation model, called the 3-link model, is usually composed of three successive chain links closest to the fairlead or chain hawse. This paper introduces two numerical simulation techniques for the 3-link analyses. The conventional and advanced approaches are both based on the prescribed rotation approach (PRA) and direct tension approach (DTA). Comparisons of the nominal stress distributions, OPB stiffnesses, hotspot stress curves, and stress concentration curves are presented. The multiple link analyses used to identify the tension angle versus interlink angle require the OPB stiffness data from the 3-link analyses. A convergence study was conducted to determine the minimum number of links for a multi-link analysis. It was proven that 10 links were sufficient for the multi-link analysis. The tension angle versus interlink angle relations are presented based on multi-link analyses with 10 links. It was found that the subsequent results varied significantly according to the 3-link analysis techniques.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.237-248
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• 2016

As OPB and IPB moment-induced fatigue damage on mooring chain links were reported for a offloading buoy, verification of OPB and IPB fatigue has been a key engineering item in offshore structure mooring design. Mathematical and physical features of the conventional approach which was mainly explained in BV guideline are reviewed and disadvantages of the conventional approach are addressed in terms of stress proportionality and nonlinearity of OPB and IPB moments. In order to eradicate these disadvantages, a novel approach is newly proposed which is able to dispel apprehension on stress proportionality and is not dependent of nonlinearities of OPB and IPB moments. Significant differences between two approaches are suggested by comparing relations of OPB moment versus OPB interlink angle and IPB moment versus IPB interlink angle. For periodic OPB tension angle processes having three different OPB angle ranges with a simple irregular tension process, fatigue damage calculation reveals that OPB moment-induced fatigue damage has dominant portion to total fatigue damage. Comparative studies between two approaches also show that the conventional approach based on BV guideline predicts fatigue damage far conservatively since it assume unrealistic high stress concentration factor for tension load. Meanwhile IPB moment-induced fatigue damage is negligible compared to tension-induced fatigue damage.