• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

It is important to research and understand the physical phenomenon around a semi-submersible offshore structure on waves and currents because the wave run-up and load occurs owing to the waves and currents. In this study, the numerical simulations are performed about flow around a fixed semi-submersible offshore structure. The Modified Marker-density method is adopted in the present computation procedure, this method is one of the various methods to define the free-surface. The present computation results are compared with existing experimental and numerical simulation(VOF method) results. And, the computation results are relatively coincident with the existing results of model test and numerical simulation by VOF method.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

This paper calculates the mating dynamic forces of a semi-submersible offshore structure's topside module, where a hull moored in the sea is combined with a topside module carried by a heavy lift vessel, as a mating installation method. The environmental conditions include various wave directions and wave heights, with constant wind and current speeds. Appropriate ballast and de-ballast plans for the heavy lift vessel and hull of the semi-rig should be performed in order to safely obtain these forces, whereas a fixed platform or the GBS (Gravity based structure) type of offshore structure only needs a ballast plan for the heavy lift vessel. From this paper, the allowable wave height or wave direction for the mating procedure can be investigated based on the standard DAF (Dynamic amplitude factor) of the rules and regulations.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.82-96
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• 2019

A semi-submersible structure has been widely used for offshore drilling and production of oil and gas. The small water plane area makes the structure very sensitive to weight increase in terms of payload and stability. Therefore, it is necessary to lighten the substructure from the early design stage. This study aims at an optimization of hull structure based on a sophisticated yield and buckling strength in accordance with classification rules. An in-house strength assessment system is developed to automate the procedure such as a generation of buckling panels, a collection of required panel information, automatic buckling and yield check and so on. The developed system enables an automatic yield and buckling strength check of all panels composing the hull structure at each iteration of the optimization. Design variables are plate thickness and stiffener section profiles. In order to overcome the difficulty of large number of design variables and the computational burden of FE analysis, various methods are proposed. The steepest descent method is selected as the optimization algorithm for an efficient search. For a reduction of the number of design variables and a direct application to practical design, the stiffener section variable is determined by selecting one from a pre-defined standard library. Plate thickness is also discretized at 0.5t interval. The number of FE analysis is reduced by using equations to analytically estimating the stress changes in gradient calculation and line search steps. As an endeavor to robust optimization, the number of design variables to be simultaneously optimized is divided by grouping the scantling variables by the plane. A sequential optimization is performed group by group. As a verification example, a central column of a semi-submersible structure is optimized and compared with a conventional optimization of all design variables at once.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.261-276
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• 2024

Numerical investigation was carried out to analyze the hydrodynamic response of 4-column semi-submersible floaters, incorporating variations such as stepping and alterations in the shape/geometry of columns and pontoons, as well as tilting of main columns. Utilizing Ansys-AQWA, a hydrodynamic software based on panel method, simulations were executed for these scenarios. The simulations yielded insights into responses, excitation forces/moments, and pressure on the structure, facilitating a comparison between the models through a parametric study. It was observed that stepping of pontoons and tilting of columns led to reduced responses, forces, and pressures, reaching balance through appropriate stepping and tilting. Additionally, altering the geometry of columns and pontoons indicated the potential benefits of employing elliptical pontoons and pentagonal columns for enhanced response control.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-20
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• 1983

In this paper design criteria for semi-submersibles, effective at the stage of basic design, are reviewed first generally. Thereafter an extensive study is focussed on essential problematic areas such as design load, heaving motion, overall structural analysis and welding technique. The necessity for this kind of research is apparent in the light of the fact that ocean exploration and exploitation becomes extended to deeper ocean and that semi-submersibles are the most favorite unit for operation under this environment. In some sense principles in naval architecture are indeed applicable to the design of semi-submersible. However, because of the difference in geometry between ships and semi-submersibles, there are significant deviations in design method. A thorough discussion is made on particular behaviours of a semi-submersible in stability, wave load, motion characteristics and structural responses. Then some calculation-procedures and design guidelines are tentatively proposed. A numerical calculation for a semi-submersible Sedco 708 is exemplified for better understanding of the concept. The structure has 4 main and another 4 secondary stabilizing columns with catamaran-type lower hull. In this example design condition is supposed to be 28m wave height, 90 knots wind speed for survival condition and seastate 6 for operational condition in water of 100m depth. The numerical result implies that the actual design of this model can be assessed close to optimum. Further intensive research is strongly required in the subject fields of dynamic stability, rational evaluation of wave load statistical basis for fatigue life judgement.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2014

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of wave run-ups on a semi-submersible offshore structure. A series of model tests with a 1:80 scale ratio were carried out in the two-dimensional wave basin of MOERI/KIOST. The experimental model had two columns and one pontoon. The model was fixed and wave elevations were measured at five points per column. Two different draft (operational & survival) conditions and three wave heights were considered under regular wave conditions. First, the nonlinear characteristics of wave run-ups are discussed by using the time series data. Then, the wave heights are compared with numerical results based on the potential flow model. The comparison shows fairly good correlation between the experiments and computations. Finally, wave run-ups under the operational and survival conditions are suggested.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2018

This study simulated ice load and the motion response of a moored semi-submersible rig in pack-ice conditions using a finite element method. Ice flows of random size and shape were modeled, and interactions for ice-sea, ice-structure, ice-ice were simulated using a simplified method. Parameters for the simplified method such as drag force coefficient and the pressure-penetration relation were obtained based on the result of detailed analysis using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method. The mooring lines were modeled by spring elements based on their stiffness. As a result of the simulation over 1,400 seconds, the force and motion response of the rig were obtained and validated using discrete elements and compared with the results found by the Krylov State Research Centre.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1994.10a
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• pp.103-112
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• 1994

Various kinds of fatigue failures of ocean structures were reported and the importance of fatigue life estimation at the design state is significantly recognized and various kinds of analysis approaches have been discussed. In this paper characteristics of the simplified method proposed here and the spectral method are studied and the elements of the approach are discussed. The merits and demerits of the forementioned analysis schemes are studied and the relating parameters such as SCF and S-N curves are also investigated. The simplified fatigue analysis approach and tile spectral fatigue analysis technique is applied for the analysis of bracing members of typical semi-submersible drilling rig structure for the verification of the usage of two methods and the sensitivity study has been performed using the simplified method. The result from the spectral analysis give a more realistic picture of the fatigue life of the offshore structure considered here.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.274-279
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• 2014

This paper investigates the line dynamic forces connecting tugs and a floater, where the planar motion of the floater is due to the weather criteria during the position keeping of the offshore structure by tugs. The analysis situation consists of the position keeping states for the seabed mooring line connection work of the offshore structure at the offshore site. Specifically, the decision about the tug power capacity for the position keeping is essential and depends on the weather criteria, line characteristics, length of line, etc. The planar motion of the structure is constrained by the interference of the installation vessel's operational range, behavior of the underwater fairlead, and other surrounding structures. In this paper, the tug line forces and planar motion of an offshore structure are summarized dependent on the tug line length and line material characteristics in the states fora given floater draft and weather criteria. The tug line dynamic forces and planar motion evaluated here will be used to determine the proper tug power and clearance of an offshore structure.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.14-19
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• 2001

In this paper, the wave and current forces acting on cylinders are investigated by theoretical and experimental methods. The models used are one-cylinder, four-cylinder and semi-submersible types. The theoretical investigations are carried out by the Morison equation and three dimensional source distribution method to calculate exciting forces in waves with and without currents. The experimental investigations are carried out in the wave tank which can generate currents in both directions. In these tests, the models have been exposed to the regular waves with and without currents. It is shown that the exciting forces acting on the one-cylinder or four-cylinders can be approximately estimated by the Morison equation and also by the diffraction theory. However, the Morison equation seems to be not appropriate to estimate the exciting forces on the present type of semi-submersible.