On the Estimation and Application of Directional Design Criteria

This article discusses the estimation of directional metocean design criteria for engineering applications. We provide a summary of current code recommendations relating to directional design criteria and illustrate conceptually and mathematically some of the difficulties of their derivation. We also discuss the application of directional criteria for the specific examples of Code Check and Pushover analyses for fixed structures and jack-up rigs.

An Experimental Investigation of the Trim Effect on the Behaviour of a Containership in Shallow Water

A new division of the Suez Canal in Egypt, termed the New Suez Canal, was opened for international navigation in August 2015. It is therefore important to ensure the safety of ships navigating this new section of the canal. Measures to avoid grounding and/or drifting to the canal banks are necessary. Additionally, accurate prediction data for ship squat and under keel clearance is crucial. This paper presents the results of experimental work carried out at the Kelvin Hydrodynamic Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, to study the effect of trim on containership sailing characteristics in shallow waters using Kriso Container Ship (KCS) model. A series of model tests were conducted to measure the resistance, sinkage variations with speed, water depth and loading conditions under different trimming angles at 1:75 scale. The objective of this work is to examine the range of ship trim for safe and efficient sailing in restricted water in both depth and width. The study also aimed to provide data to be used in validating numerical computations to be carried on the same type of vessel to detect the best trim angle for ships during sailing in restricted waters to reduce resistance and therefore fuel consumption. For depth Froude numbers higher than 0.4, the results show that the ship model sinkage is less for aft trim than for level trim or forward trim. Concurrently, it can be observed that there is less water resistance for aft trim than for forward trim, albeit level trim shows the least resistance. The test was conducted for one value of model draft which was 0.144 m. Side bank effect were also examined.

Analysis of the Pitting Corrosion’s Effect on the Residual Strength of Submerged Pressure Shell

Submerged pressure shell’s corrosion situation is more serious due to bad work environment, complex structure and difficulty of maintenance. Based on the analysis of calculation method of submerged pressure shell structures with non-corrosion, the calculation formula of pressure shell with pitting corrosion is given. The Finite Element Model is constructed and its residual strength is investigated. The relationships between shell stress and some parameters, such as radius of corrosion pit, depth of corrosion pit and location of corrosion pit are studied. Based on the finite element analysis results, the effect of radius of corrosion pit on the stress of pressure shell with pitting corrosion is analyzed. Furthermore, the influence coefficients of residual strength of pressure shell due to depth and location of pitting corrosion are determined, which provide a reference for the strength evaluation of submerged pressure shell with pitting corrosion.

Numerical Simulation of Water Wave Propagation Over Porous Slope Bottom by Using Two-Domain Method

This study aims at the numerical analysis of wave characteristics when a wave propagates on the porous slope seabed. Numerical wave tank technique was developed using boundary element method with constant panels on the boundary. The fluid was satisfied with potential flow conditions and Darcy’s law was applied for porous intersection. Two computational domain method, which consists of fluid and porous domains, was used to simulate the propagating waves over a sloped seabed having a permeability. To consider fluid-porous boundary interaction, three-step boundary value problems were calculated. The wave amplitude decreased along the free surface as the wave propagated over a sloped bottom. The wave reflection and transmission by subsea structures were also analyzed.

Characteristics of Transforming Waves Breaking Over a Fringing Reef

Direct numerical simulation (DNS), based on solution of the Navier Stokes equations, is used to study the characteristics of the transformation of monochromatic waves over a simplified fringing reef, including wave shoaling, and wave breaking that occurs under certain circumstances. The reef geometry involves a sloped plane beach extended with a simple submerged horizontal reef flat. The characteristics are studied for several case studies involving a selection of submergence depths on the reef flat and for a range of incident wave conditions, corresponding to nonbreaking, a spilling breaker and a plunging breaker, are considered. The results are compared with those of laboratory experiments (Kouvaras and Dhanak, 2018). Consistent with other studies, generation of harmonics of the fundamental wave frequency is found to accompany the wave transformation over the reef and the process of transfer of energy through wave breaking. The energy flux decreases dramatically in the onshore direction when the waves break. The more severe the wave breaking process, the greater the decrease in energy flux, particularly in the wave shoaling process. Most of the wave energy is carried by the first harmonic throughout its passage over the fringing reef. In nonbreaking waves, the energy gradually transfers from the first harmonic to the second harmonic due to bottom effects in terms of flat wave troughs and secondary waves. The further the distance away from the fore edge of the reef, the larger the percentage of the transmission, resulting in a single dominant harmonic frequency at the end of the wave surfing zone. For breaking waves, the energy carried by the first harmonic gradually decreases in the onshore direction. Energy transmission between harmonics is not as efficient as nonbreaking waves, while wave dissipation is significant in the wave breaking process.

Uncertainty Analysis of Free Running Manoeuvring Model Test on a Modern Ferry, With Emphasis on Heel Angles

This paper presents an uncertainty study on the manoeuvring behaviour of a twin screw ferry. In particular, we are interested in heel angles that this ship achieves while manoeuvring. Earlier published uncertainty analysis has focused on the uncertainty of overshoot angles and tactical diameters see [1] and [2]. The heel angles of these ships are not large. However, there is a class of ships that may encounter large heel angles due to steering. Ferries are such ships. The present paper quantifies also the uncertainty of the measured heel angles due to manoeuvres. During the model test series, results are obtained for various values of the stability (GM), where large heel angles are observed. This provides a unique insight in the relation between the GM, approach speed, directional stability and the achieved heel angles. Because of the demonstrated large heel angles, it was important to make an uncertainty analysis of these tests. More publications have been written on the uncertainty of overshoot angles and dimensions of turning circle manoeuvres. However, the uncertainty of heel angles during manoeuvres hasn’t been published yet, which makes this a unique paper. The uncertainty analysis will be based on repeat tests for the zigzag 10°/10° and 35° turning circle manoeuvres. Repeat tests are carried out for these manoeuvres to verify the mean and the uncertainty of the experimentally obtained values. The methodology for estimating the uncertainty with 95% confidence bounds are derived by accounting for 1) uncertainty from measurement, 2) repeat tests and 3) the uncertainty from propagation of initial conditions and the error in check angle and rudder. The uncertainty results are compared with a previous study of uncertainty of manoeuvring characteristics of model tests with the KVLCC2 [1] and [2].

A New Method for Deriving Soliton Design Criteria

A new method for deriving extreme soliton current criteria for offshore engineering applications is described. The primary data source was site specific measurement close to the continental shelf break where metocean criteria were required. A dedicated oceanographic mooring was designed to quantify solitons, with rapidly sampled measurement of seawater temperature and velocities through the vertical. As described in two previous OMAE papers, quantification of soliton velocity profiles was achieved via temperature measurement and theory, with measured velocities playing a secondary role in critical validation. The previous methodology was extended in the present study, with separate contributions quantified from variations in soliton amplitude and water column density structure. The nonlinear Fourier techniques first described in OMAE 2017 were again used to reduce uncertainty in estimates of extreme soliton amplitude. In a new development, the long-term distribution of the density structure contribution was quantified using a calibrated hindcast of seawater temperature. Extreme conditions were defined at the boundary of a MITgcm model domain. This sophisticated model was then used to estimate extreme soliton velocities, through the water column and a few metres above the seabed, at a wide range of shallower target locations.

Linear Evolution of a Narrow-Banded Surface Gravity Wavepacket Over an Infinite Step

This paper focuses on the classical and fundamental problem of waves propagating over an infinite step in finite water depth. Specifically, this paper aims to extend classical narrow-banded wave theory for constant water depth which uses a multiple-scales expansion to the case of an abrupt change in the water depth, known as an infinite step. This paper derives the linear evolution equations and is the first step towards the calculation of second-order and higher-order effects for wavepackets travelling over a step using commonly employed envelope-type evolution equations, in particular the bound sub- and super-harmonics at second order.

High-Bandwidth Underwater Wireless Communication Using a Swarm of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

We present a new method for underwater wireless communication with high bandwidth and over long distance. A swarm of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) is used to relay an optical signal between two points at any distance. Each vehicle is equipped with multiple attitude stabilization systems to reach the required pointing and tracking accuracy for optical communication. This technology would enable fast and efficient underwater exploration which is highly needed as only 5% of the world’s oceans have been explored so far. We carried out an experimental proof of concept to show that it is possible to relay an optical signal underwater between two points using a swarm of AUVs. The experiment took place in a 2m deep water tank. We modified and controlled two submarine models to reflect the laser beam stemming from a laser pointer at the bottom of the tank to the desired location. To know their positions, we developed an image processing technique which required the setup of a RF communication link at 315Mhz between the computers processing the camera’s videos and the units.

Experimental and Numerical Study on Dynamic Response of FSRU-LNGC Side-by-Side Mooring System

Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) becomes one of the most popular equipment in the industry for providing clean energy due to its technical, economic and environmental features. Under the combined loads from wind, wave and current, it is difficult for the prediction of the dynamic response for such FSRU-LNGC (Liquified Natural Gas Carrier) side-by-side mooring system, because of the complicated hydrodynamic interaction between the two floating bodies. In this paper, a non-dimensional damping parameter of the two floating bodies is obtained from a scaled model test. Then the numerical analysis is carried out based on the test results, and the damping lid method is applied to simulate the hydrodynamic interference between floating bodies. The dynamic response of the side-by-side mooring system including six degrees of freedom motion, cable tension and fender force are provided and analyzed. According to the comparisons between numerical results and the test results, it is shown that the proposed coupled analysis model is reliable, and the numerical analysis can properly describe the dynamic response of the multi-floating mooring system in the marine environment. Moreover, the non-dimensional damping parameter which is used in numerical analysis can act as a good reference to the dynamic response analysis of similar multi-floating mooring systems.