Application and analysis of elastomeric supporting style for topside modules of a spread mooring FPSO. (1st October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Yucu; He, Yanping; Liu, Yadong; Qiu, Ming; Li, Mingzhi; Luo, Ziliang
• Is Part Of: Ocean engineering. Volume 261(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10-01
• Subjects: FPSO -- Topside module -- Steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pad -- Spread mooring -- Finite element analysis -- Multibody dynamics; Ocean engineering -- Periodicals; Ocean engineering; Periodicals; 620.4162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2022.112183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-8018

Abstract

Abstract: The offshore elastomeric supporting style via steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pads (SREBPs) has been in use gradually. In this study, the elastomeric supporting style used for the interfaces between topsides and stools is adopted by a spread mooring FPSO to analyze the responses of SREBPs and evaluate the applicability. Firstly, the motion responses of target FPSO are numerically simulated to check if the mooring system is safe. Then, the hydrodynamic responses are taken as the boundary conditions of hull for the multibody dynamic simulations. In the simulation, a compression spring model is proposed to equivalently replace the SREBPs. The stiffness of equivalent compression springs is obtained by linear fitting of the stiffness data from finite element analysis of SREBPs. Finally, the multibody numerical results show that the SREBPs can reach into yield state, but if there are assistant devices helping to limit the deformations, the SREBPs would work well. The largest deformations of SREBPs are observed to be sensitive to the hydrodynamic responses, so the SREBPs can still reach into yield state in extreme case. In that condition, it is recommended to bond the topsides to the stools and the numerical results confirm that it is available. Highlights: A validation study is conducted to verify the numerical method of the hydrodynamic calculations for FPSO. The finite element method is consistent with model test in the stiffness calculations. The stiffness of elastomeric bearing pad is linearized in a small range of deformations in design. A compression spring model is proposed to equivalently replace the steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pads. The viscous damping of equivalent compression springs is equivalently transformed into Rayleigh damping.