A New Method to Investigate the Failure Envelopes of Offshore Foundations

Author(s):  
Yinghui Tian ◽  
Tianyuan Zheng ◽  
Tao Zhou ◽  
Mark J. Cassidy

This paper presents an alternative numerical method in addition to the traditional ‘probe test’ to investigate the combined loading failure envelopes of foundations in soil. In the ‘probe test’ method, the foundation is displaced with a specified displacement path and eventually the soil resistance force reaches a stabilised point sitting on the failure envelope in the load space. While the displacement paths are arbitrarily or empirically set, the positions of the stabilised loads on the failure envelope can not be predetermined or planned. This paper’s new method, however, can specify the load paths, which directly shoot onto the failure envelope. This allows the investigation of the failure envelope can be better achieved with planned load paths. In addition, this new method is advantageous in checking the plastic flow conditions (i.e. normality of the failure envelope) as the load path directions are predetermined.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Yuanxu Jing ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Jingqi Huang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Lunbo Luo

The composite bucket foundation of offshore wind turbines is subjected to a variety of loads in the marine environment, such as horizontal load H, vertical load V , bending moment M, and torque T. In addition, due to the characteristics of its connection section, the water flow around the foundation will produce scour pits of various degrees, reducing the depth of the bucket foundation, which has a nonnegligible impact on the overall stability of the bucket foundation. In this paper, the failure envelope characteristics of different combinations of loads on bucket foundations, including V -H-T, V -M-T, conventional V -H-M, and noncoplanar V -H-M, are numerically investigated with considering different scour depths. The numerical results indicate that the V -H-T, V -M-T, conventional V -H-M, and noncongruent V -H-M failure envelopes gradually shrink inwards with increasing scour depth, and the stability of the composite bucket foundation decreases; the conventional V -H-M failure envelope shows an asymmetry of convexity to the right, and the noncongruent V -H-M failure envelope shows an asymmetry of outward convexity to the left and right. The corresponding mathematical expressions for the failure envelope are obtained through the normalized fitting process, which can be used to evaluate the stability of the bucket foundation based on the relative relationship between the failure envelope and the actual load conditions, which can provide practical guidance for engineering design.


2011 ◽  
Vol 243-249 ◽  
pp. 4718-4722
Author(s):  
Xiu Bin Gong ◽  
Qing Lai Fan ◽  
Ke Wu

Presented in this paper are the three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analyses of the failure envelopes of suction caisson under torsion, vertical and lateral pullout combined load in soft clay. The soft clay under undrained condition is simulated by perfectly elasto-plastic Tresca model. Through the numerical analyses, the failure envelopes for combined loading (V-T、H-T、V-H-T) of suction caisson is reviewed. And the mathematical expression of failure envelope is deduced. It is shown that (1) the circular plastic failure area is outward-extending. (2) The bearing capacity of suction caisson foundation in V-T、H-T load spaces is increasing with the aspect ratio L/D. (3) The equation of failure envelope can be used to evaluate the stability of suction caisson foundation for offshore floating wind turbine.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2038
Author(s):  
Maria Pia Falaschetti ◽  
Matteo Scafé ◽  
Nicola Zavatta ◽  
Enrico Troiani

Composite materials usage in several industrial fields is now widespread, and this leads to the necessity of overcoming issues that are still currently open. In the aeronautic industry, this is especially true for Barely Visible Impact Damage (BVID) and humidity uptake issues. BVID is the most insidious kind of impact damage, being rather common and not easily detectable. These, along with the ageing that a composite structure could face during its operative life, could be a cause of fatal failures. In this paper, the influence of water absorption on impacted specimens compressive residual strength was studied. Specimens were impacted using a modified Charpy pendulum. Two different locations were chosen for comparison: Near-Edge (NE) and Central (CI). Accelerated hygrothermal ageing was conducted on impacted and reference nonimpacted coupons, placing them in a water-filled jar at 70 °C. Compressive tests were performed in accordance with the Combined Loading Compression (CLC) test method. A Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) was performed as well. The results showed the influence of hygrothermal ageing, as expected. Nevertheless, the influence of impact location on compressive residual strength is not clearly noticeable in aged specimens, leading to the conclusion that hygrothermal ageing may have a greater effect on composite compressive strength than the analysed BVI damage.


1993 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
John F. Swigart ◽  
Arthur G. Erdman ◽  
Patrick J. Cain

A new method for quantifying shoe cushioning durability was developed. This method used a computer-controlled, closed-loop materials testing system to subject the shoes to force-time profiles that were indicative of running. The change in the magnitude of the maximum energy absorbed by a shoe and the change in the magnitude of the energy balance of the shoe were quantified after the shoe had been worn running for a given distance. A shoe that changed very little in these quantities had a small energy wear factor and was deemed to have durable cushioning. The test method was roughly validated through comparison of three shoes of different midsole constructions with known relative durabilities. The shoes were tested at four simulated running speeds for energy properties when they were new and after they were run in for 161 km. The relative durabilities of the tested shoes were consistent with expectations based on the shoes' materials and constructions, showing that the new method has promise in predicting shoe cushioning durability, and thus more complete studies of the method may prove useful.


Author(s):  
Ning Cheng ◽  
Mark J. Cassidy ◽  
Yinghui Tian

Foundations for offshore structures, such as mobile jack-up units, are subjected to large horizontal (H) and moment (M) loads in addition to changing vertical (V) loads. The use of a combined vertical, horizontal and moment (V-H-M) loading envelope to define foundation capacities has become increasingly applied in recent years. However, there is no study on the skirted spudcan, a new alternative foundation type to the conventional spudcan footing for jack-ups. In this study, the combined V-H-M yield envelope of a skirted spudcan foundation in clay soil is investigated with small strain finite element analyses using 3D modeling. The footing’s uniaxial bearing capacities and failure mechanisms are described. The failure envelope for the combined V-H-M loadings is presented. A comparison of the bearing capacities between the spudcan and skirted spudcan of various dimensions is also presented.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Stewart ◽  
Sam Kwok Lun Lee

Abstract Wellhead connectors form a critical part of subsea tree production systems. Their location in the riser load path means that they are subjected to high levels of bending and tension loading in addition to internal pressure and cyclic loading. As more fields continue to be discovered and developed that are defined as High Pressure and/or High Temperature (HPHT) these loading conditions become even more arduous. In order to ensure the integrity of HPHT components, industry requirements for components are setout in API 17TR8. This technical report provides a design verification methodology for HPHT products and some requirements for validation testing. The methodology provides detail on the assessment of static structural and cyclic capacities but less detail on how to assess the functional and serviceability criteria for wellhead connectors. Similarly, API 17TR8 does not include prescriptive validation requirements for wellhead connectors and refers back to historical methods. This paper describes a practical application of the API 17TR8 methodology to the development of a 20k HPHT connector and how it was implemented to verify and validate the connector design through full scale tests to failure. A methodology was developed to meet the requirements of the relevant industry standards and applied to the connector to develop capacity charts for static combined loading. Verification was carried out on three dimensional 180° FEA models to ensure all non axi-symmetric loading is accurately captured. Connector capacities are defined based on API 17TR8 criteria with elastic plastic analysis (i.e. collapse load, local failure and ratcheting), functionality/serviceability criteria defined through a FMECA review and also including API STD 17G criteria including failure modes such as lock/unlock functionality, fracture based failure, mechanical disengagement, leakage and preload exceedance. These capacities are validated through full scale testing based on the requirements of API 17TR7 and API STD 17G with combined loading applied to the Normal, Extreme and Survival capacity curves (as defined by "as-built" FEA using actual material properties). Various test parameters such as strain gauge data, hub separation data, displacements, etc. were recorded and correlated to FEA prediction to prove the validity of the methodology. Further validation was carried out by applying a combined load up to the FEA predicted failure to confirm the design margins of the connector. Post-test review was carried out to review the suitability of the requirements set out in API 17TR8 and API STD 17G for the verification and validation of subsea connectors. The results build on previous test results to validate the effectiveness of the API 17TR8 code for verification and validation of connectors. The results show that real margins between failure of the connector and rated loads are higher than those defined in API 17TR8 and show that the methodology can be conservative.


2021 ◽  
Vol 883 ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Christian Steinfelder ◽  
Sven Martin ◽  
Alexander Brosius ◽  
Thomas Tröster

The mechanical properties of joined structures are determined considerably by the chosen joining technology. With the aim of providing a method that enables a faster and more profound decision-making in the spatial distribution of joining points during product development, a new method for the load path analysis of joining points is presented. For an exemplary car body, the load type in the joining elements, i.e. pure tensile, shear and combined tensile-shear loads, is determined using finite element analysis (FEA). Based on the evaluated loads, the resulting load paths in selected joining points are analyzed using a 2D FE-model of a clinching point. State of the art methods for load path analysis are dependent on the selected coordinate system or the existing stress state. Thus, a general statement about the load transmission path is not possible at this time. Here, a novel method for the analysis of load paths is used, which is independent of the alignment of the analyzed geometry. The basic assumption of the new load path analysis method was confirmed by using a simple specimen with a square hole in different orientations. The results presented here show a possibility to display the load transmission path invariantly. In further steps, the method will be extended for 3D analysis and the investigation of more complex assemblies. The primary goal of this methodical approach is an even load distribution over the joining elements and the component. This will provide a basis for future design approaches aimed at reducing the number of joining elements in joined structures.


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