Fatigue Testing of Out-of-Plane Bending Mechanism of Chain Links

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucile Rampi ◽  
Pedro Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Fatigue Performance ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Three years ago, several mooring chains of an off-loading buoy failed after only 8 months of service. These chains were designed according to conventional fatigue assessment using API RP 2SK T-N curves to a fatigue life or 20 years with a factor of safety equal to 3 on life. Of particular interest is that the mooring chain failure underwent significant mooring chain motions that caused interlink rotations. Although traditionally neglected, these interlink rotations, when combined with significant chain tensions can cause bending stresses in the chain links (See Figure 1). This recently identified phenomena, Out-of-Plane Bending (OPB), explains the extensive fatigue damage causing the mooring chains of the off-loading buoy to fail [3][4][5]. References [3] and [4] document full scale tests of the OPB mechanism using a full scale test frame with the ability of applying inter-link rotation to a pre-tensioned chain. This testing confirmed that interlink rotations with a constant tension load can result in significantly high stresses. OPB stresses were measured on four different chain sizes of various grades: 1) 81 mm Studded Grade R3S, 2) 107 mm Stud-less Grade RQ3, 3) 124 mm Stud-less Grade R4, and 4) 146 mm Stud-less Grade RQ4, Grade R3 in [3] and [4], but no actual fatigue tests were performed. References [3] and [5] document analytical and computational efforts to explain and quantify the OPB stresses. In this paper, special focus is placed on obtaining actual fatigue failures of chains from OPB loading. Smaller chain sizes (40 mm) are used to accommodate the load limits of the testing frame. To mimic the actual loading as close as possible, sub size models of actual chainhawses were used in the testing. Two chainhawses were used: 1) the chainhawse has internal curvature where a link rests on the intrados, similar to offloading buoy that failed in eight months, and 2) a straight chainhase, a design that is in use today with demonstrated improved fatigue performance over the curved chainhawse. OPB stresses are measured and reported. Fatigue loading in the OPB mode was applied for several configurations. The two chainhawse exhibit very different stress levels and fatigue performance. An empirical relationship previously reported in [3][4][5] is compared to the measured OPB stresses with mixed results. Although limited in number, the fatigue tests indicate that overall the chain fatigue performance is at or above the B1 DnV curve. The BS B1 curve is also compared.

Out-of-Plane Bending Testing of Chain Links

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecil Melis ◽  
Phillipe Jean ◽  
Pedro Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Chain Link ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Bending Stresses ◽  
Test Frame ◽  
Scale Test ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Several mooring chains of an off-loading buoy failed after only 8 months of service. These chains were designed according to conventional fatigue assessment using API RP 2SK T-N curves to a fatigue life or 20 years with a factor of safety equal to 3 on life. Of particular interest is that the mooring chain failure underwent significant mooring chain motions that caused interlink rotations. Although traditionally neglected, these interlink rotations, when combined with significant chain tensions can cause bending stresses in the chain links. In this paper we identify a mechanism, here identified as Out-of-Plane Bending (OPB) that explains the extensive fatigue damage causing the mooring chains of the off-loading buoy to fail. A full scale test frame was constructed that has the capacity of applying inter-link rotation to a pre-tensioned chain. Although the test frame limits the number of links that can be tested together as a chain, a significant amount of testing was performed for the following chain sizes: 1. 81 mm Studded Grade R3S. 2. 107 mm Studdless Grade RQ3. 3. 124 mm Studless Grade R4. 4. 146 mm Studless Grade RQ4. Various pretension levels were used, with instrumentation to extract link angles and chain link stresses. In this paper the OPB mechanism is explained, and the test frame and results are presented. An empirical relationship is found to predict the OPB stresses in the chain links as a function of pretension and inter-link rotation. The OPB stress relationship obtained was applied to the failed mooring chain of the off-loading buoy with reasonable agreement. To comply with Single Buoy Moorings (SBM) requirements addressing publication of internal research, many of the graphs included in this paper have had the stress values removed from the y-axis. However, with SBM’s management approval, some numerical references to stress amplitudes remain in the text. Overall, this limitation does not detract from the study, trends are evident and relevant comparisons can be made.

Fatigue Performance of High Strength and Large Diameter Mooring Chain in Seawater

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Hui Zhang ◽  
Philip Smedley
Keyword(s):  
Large Diameter ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Crack Size ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Fatigue Performance ◽  
Link Failures ◽  
Fatigue Design ◽  
Steel Grades ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Abstract Fatigue design recommendations provided by API RP 2SK, ISO 19901-7 and DNVGL-OS-E301 for studless chain links are based on data of steel grades R3 and R4 and mainly of link diameter of 76mm. Mooring systems utilising larger diameter links and higher strength steels (e.g. grade R5) are now in operation. Consequently, industry expressed a need for fatigue test data in seawater of higher steel grade and larger diameter chain to confirm whether the existing fatigue design guidance is applicable. A joint industry project (JIP) was launched by TWI to investigate fatigue performance of high strength and large diameter mooring chain in free corrosion seawater. A test rig was designed and manufactured which was capable of testing studless mooring chain links up to 127mm link diameter under tension-tension loading. Twenty-three full-scale fatigue tests were conducted on high strength steel grades (R4 and R5) and larger diameter chains (76mm and 127mm) generating 72 link failures. Magnetic particle inspections (MPI) were carried out to characterise the location of cracking, crack size and crack growth rate. This paper describes the results obtained in the JIP.

Fracture mechanics analysis for mooring chain links subjected to out-of-plane bending (OPB)

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 102740
Author(s):  
Xutian Xue ◽  
Nian-Zhong Chen ◽  
Yongchang Pu ◽  
Xifeng Gao
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Mechanics Analysis ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Mooring Fatigue Assessment Evaluating Chain Twist and Out-of-Plane Bending for a Semi-submersible

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xutian Xue ◽  
Nian-Zhong Chen ◽  
Yongchang Pu
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Mooring System ◽  
Safety Factors ◽  
Fatigue Assessment ◽  
Pure Tension ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Abstract A mooring fatigue assessment for mooring chain links of a semi-submersible in Offshore West Africa (OWA) is presented. Three cases that mooring chain links are subjected to pure tension, out-of-plane bending (OPB), and torque are considered in the assessment. For the case that mooring chain links are subjected to pure tension, a comparative study on S–N curves, T–N curves, and fracture mechanics (FM)-based mooring system fatigue analyses is made, and the results show that the fatigue lives predicted by these three approaches are generally comparable if the safety factors suggested by API and DNVGL are applied to T–N curves and S–N curves based approaches. For the cases that mooring chain links are subjected to the OPB and torque, the investigation shows that fatigue lives of mooring chain links are decreased significantly due to the OPB effects, while the decline of fatigue lives of mooring chain links happens when the twist angles are more than 10 deg.

Calculation Methodology of Out of Plane Bending of Mooring Chains

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. ter Brake ◽  
J. van der Cammen ◽  
R. Uittenbogaard
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Damage ◽  
Bending Moment ◽  
Local Stress ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Empirical Formulas ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Recently, the phenomenon of out-of-plane bending (OPB) fatigue of mooring chain links emerged as an important parameter in the fatigue assessment of mooring lines. Vessel motions induce a bending moment at the top chain of a mooring line. This bending moment induces alternating local stresses in the link and thus contributes to fatigue damage of those links. High pretension mooring systems are particularly sensitive to this phenomenon, since a small vessel motion combined with a high tension results in a relatively large bending moment in the upper mooring chain links. In mooring systems with high pre-tensions, this damage is of much greater magnitude than the fatigue damage induced by tension-tension loading only. An extensive study has been executed to investigate the fatigue life of mooring chain in deep water systems. This paper presents the calculation procedure to include the effects of local chain bending in the overall mooring line fatigue analysis. It was concluded that despite the complexity of the OPB issue, it is a phenomenon that can be incorporated in the mooring analyses by means of numerical procedures. The developed method is based on extensive Finite Element Method (FEM) analyses of chain links. Models of multiple chain links have been used that take into account the plastic-elastic properties of the material and contact friction between chain links. The FE models are used to derive empirical relations, between load angles, interlink angles, bending moments and stresses. These calculations were made for different combinations of line tension, interlink friction and chain size. The results were stored in a database to gain insight in the out-of-plane bending phenomenon. This database provides empirical formulas to lead to the local stress in different points on a chain link. These empirical formulas are used to translate floater (vessel or buoy) motions into local stress variations and fatigue damages in chain links. The long-term motion behaviour of the floater is known, the long term tension and bending stress ranges can be obtained and thus a fatigue damage of the chain links can be calculated.

Fatigue of mooring chain links subjected to out-of-plane bending: Experiments and modeling

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 206-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.N. Mamiya ◽  
F.C. Castro ◽  
G.V. Ferreira ◽  
E.L.S.A. Nunes Filho ◽  
F.A. Canut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Chain Links ◽  
Mooring Chain

Chain Out of Plane Bending (OPB) Fatigue Joint Industry Project (JIP) Static Test Program and OPB Interlink Stiffness

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucile Rampi ◽  
Fata Dewi ◽  
Michel Francois ◽  
Arnaud Gerthoffert ◽  
Pedro Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Loading ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Small Time ◽  
Static Test ◽  
Fatigue Design ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Bending Stresses ◽  
Plane Bending ◽  
Mooring Chain ◽  
Fatigue Mechanism

In 2002, several mooring chains of a deepwater offloading buoy failed prematurely within a very small time frame. These chains were designed according to conventional offshore fatigue assessment using API recommendations. With this first deepwater buoy application, a new mooring chain fatigue mechanism was discovered. High pretension levels combined with significant mooring chain motions caused interlink rotations that generated significant Out of Plane Bending (OPB) fatigue loading. Traditionally, interlink rotations are relatively harmless and generate low bending stresses in the chain links. The intimate mating contact that occurs due to the plastic deformation during the proof loading and the high pretension of the more contemporary mooring designs have been identified as aggravating factors for this phenomenon. A Joint Industry Project (JIP), gathering 26 different companies, was started in 2007 to better understand the Out of Plane Bending (OPB) mooring chain fatigue mechanism and to propose mooring chain fatigue design recommendations. This paper summarizes the quasi static OPB stiffness measurement campaign and the post processing work to derive the OPB interlink stiffness.

Large-Scale Resonant Fatigue Testing of Welded Tubular X-Joints for Offshore Jacket Foundations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Van Wittenberghe ◽  
Philippe Thibaux ◽  
Maarten Van Poucke
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Limit State ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Initiation Phase ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Jacket Structures

Abstract Offshore wind turbines are being installed in deeper water and with more powerful generators resulting in more severe loading conditions on its foundations such as jacket structures. Because the main loading is due to wind and currents, the dominant design limit state is fatigue. The fatigue performance of the tubular joints used in jacket structures has been assessed several decades ago based on test results with limited component dimensions (diameter and wall thickness). In addition, improvements of welding methods and evolution of steel grades are not considered in the current design standards. To provide experimental fatigue-life data on large-scale structures a test program has been carried out on 4 welded tubular X-joints. Each X-joint consists of two horizontal braces with a diameter of 711 mm welded to a central vertical tubular member with 806 mm diameter. The X-joint has a total length of 7.5 m and has two identical welds that are fatigue tested. The fatigue tests are carried out on an innovative resonant bending fatigue test rig that allows to load the specimen in in- and out-of-plane direction at a different amplitude to obtain an even stress distribution over the circumference of the welds. The tests are carried out at a speed close to the resonance frequency of the X-joint. During the test, hotspot strains are measured using strain gauges and a limited amount of water pressure is used to detect through-thickness cracks. The tests are carried out in two phases. During the crack initiation phase, the sample is loaded in both the in- and out-of-plane mode. Once cracks are detected, the test is continued in the crack propagation phase with loading in the plane where cracks had been initiated until through-thickness cracking appeared. During this phase the beach marking technique has been used to mark the shape of the fracture surface at different moments during the fatigue tests. The testing program is part of the RFCS project JABACO that aims to reduce offshore wind cost by incrementing prefabrication of the jacket substructure.

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