WIND, WAVE, AND CURRENT LOADS ON SEMISUBMERSIBLES

Prediction of environmental forces on offshore structures is indispensable in the design and engineering stage. Evaluation and dimensioning of mooring and/or dynamic positioning systems require accurate information on both the mean forces and the dynamic loading. For semi-submersibles the complicated non-streamline geometry was normally prohibitive for calculating such environmental loads. Based on systematic wind tunnel tests, model tests and diffraction analysis a practical calculation procedure has been developed recently. The method is based on a component building block approach with special attention paid to component interaction and lift force effects.