Hydrodynamic load calculation

Hydrodynamic loads are generated by water moving past the platform leg. Loads are made
up of drag and inertial components (relative velocity and acceleration of the water) and they
act over the exposed height of the platform leg.

Regular wave analysis
Wave theories yield the information on wave motion like water particles kinematics and
wave speed, using the input information of wave height, its period and depth of water at the
site.

Currently there are a number of wave theories that are applied in the analysis of jack-up
platforms. In most cases the deterministic computations are performed using Stokes fifth
order or Dean Stream function theories. In this analysis, the Stokes fifth order wave theory is
applied.



Current
The current profile may be expressed as a series of velocities at certain stations from seabed to
water surface. A site specific study will normally be required to define the current velocity
components. When there is no site specific data available, assumptions should be made.

Figure 3.1 - Suggested current profile
The Morisons equation
A structural member is considered to be of small diameter when its diameter is less that about
0.15 times the wave length; for example, members of Jacket structures and piled jetties.










Figure Error! No text of specified style in document.-2: Wave impact
In general, wave forces on offshore structures are calculated in three different ways based
on the type and size of the structure:
inertia force predominates, on large structures
-Krylov theory: inertia force predominates, on small structures
drag force is significant, on small structures

When member diameter is small incident waves do not get much scattered by the
obstruction and in that case the equation given by Morison et al.(1950) becomes
applicable.
Morison et al. (1950)s equation:
It states that the total force, in-line with the wave direction can be obtained by addition of
the drag force and the inertia force, i. e.,



where,
=mass density of fluid
u = flow velocity is coefficient of drag. Its value depends on body shape, roughness, flow
viscosity and several other parameters.
C
D
=Coefficient of Inertia. It depends on shape of the body, its surface roughness and other
parameters. = in-line (horizontal) force per meter length at member axis at given time at
given location.
Note that . Hence velocity and acceleration are out of phase
by 90 and are not maximum at the same time.


Leg Hydrodynamic Model

General
The hydrodynamic modeling of the leg of a jack-up may be carried out by utilizing either
'detailed' or 'equivalent' techniques. In both cases the geometric orientation of the elements
are accounted for. The hydrodynamic properties are then found as described below:

'Equivalent Model'
The hydrodynamic model of a bay is comprised of equivalent' number of one meter
diameter columns located at the geometric center of the actual leg.

Calculations have shown for smaller diameter tubular in higher waves, the wave force mainly
consists of the drag contribution. In other words, the inertia force for these tubular is much
smaller than the drag force.

Morisons equation shows that the drag term is linear with respect to the diameter of a
tubular. Thus it is a fair approximation to state that the wave forces on a tubular are
proportional to the exposed area of the tubular.

To take into consideration of the direction of the members when calculating the total
effective area of the leg, a factor is applied, whereis the angle between the
members axis and the wave and current direction. Hence, for a member parallel with the
wave and current, the angle is 0 degree, and for a member perpendicular to the wave and
current, the angle is 90 degree.

The term can be explained as follows:
(a) The normal wave particle velocity is sin times the actual wave particle velocity.
(b) The drag force is proportional to the square of the normal wave particle velocity.
(c) The resultant horizontal force is the projection of the total drag force which means
another factor sin.

Similarly, the inertia term should include a term to allow for oblique angles of
attack. In line with the earlier force estimation, this inertia term is further disregarded.

The leg area is to be compared with the area of the standard 1.0 m diameter column and the
ratio between the two is to be used as the multiplication factor.

Hydrodynamic Coefficients for Leg Members
Recommended values for hydrodynamic coefficients for tubular (<1.5m diameter) are
given in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3: Base hydrodynamic coefficients for tubulars

Note: The smooth values will normally apply above MWL + 2m and the rough values below MWL
+ 2m. If the jack-up has operated in deeper water and the fouled legs are not cleaned the surface
should be taken as rough for wave loads above MWL + 2m.

Marine Growth
When applicable, marine growth is to be included in the hydrodynamic model by adding the
appropriate marine growth thickness, to, on the boundary of each individual member below
MWL + 2m. for a tubular Di= D
original
+ 2tm. Site specific data for marine growth is preferred. If
such data are not available all members below MWL + 2m shall be considered to have a marine
growth thickness t
m
= 12.5 mm(i.e. total of 25 mm across the diameter of a tubular member).
Marine growth on the teeth of elevating racks and protruding guided surfaces of chords may
normally be ignored.

Hydrodynamic Coefficients for Split Tube Chords
For non-tubular geometries (e.g. leg chords) the appropriate hydrodynamic coefficients may, in
lieu of more detailed information, be taken in accordance with Figures 4.4 and corresponding
formulas, as appropriate.

Figure 4.4: Split tube chord and typical values for C
Di

The drag coefficients for 0are dominated by the tubular part and no particular effect of the rack
on the drag coefficient is seen from the tests. That is, for typical dimensions of the tubular
diameter and rack plate thickness t, D
i
/t >> 1.0, tests show values of about C
D
0.65. This
indicates that the drag coefficients chosen for the tubular are also valid for the split tube chord
for the 0 direction. In order to be consistent with the roughness dependence of the drag
coefficient for tubular, the drag coefficient in the marine growth region is increased due to
roughness to C
Drough
= 1.0 for = 0.

For the 90direction the drag coefficient should be similar to that of a flat plate for large W/Di
ratios, C
Dplate
= 2.0. However, test results seem to indicate that the C
D
values for this direction
referring to the mean rack width W, are, on average, about 1.8. The suggested drag coefficient is
therefore set to be 1.8 for small W/D
i
ratios, increasing to 2.0 for large W/D
i
ratios. The
interpolation between these two numbers is based on engineering judgment.

For the interpolation between the directions 0and 90 a number of formulations are available,
but since there were a number of test results available, a best fit of a new formulation was
decided.

For a split tube chord as shown in Figure 4.4, the drag coefficient C
Di
related to the reference
dimension Di= D+2tm, the diameter of the tubular including marine growth, may be taken as:

where;
= Angle in degree
C
D0
= is the drag coefficient for the chord at = 0and is to be taken as that of a tubular with
appropriate roughness, i.e. C
D0
= 0.65 above MWL + 2.0m and C
D0
= 1.0, below MWL+2.0m.
Possible dependence on KC and Re numbers as for a tubular.

C
D1
= The drag coefficient for flow normal to the rack (= 90), related to
the projected diameter (the rack width W). C
D1
is given by


The inertia coefficient C
Mi
= 2.0, related to the equivalent volume, may be applied for all heading
angles and any roughness.

Calculation
The following parameters and assumptions are adopted for the calculation of total horizontal
force and overturning moment on the leg.

Wave
Wave theory: Stokes fifth order wave theory
Wave height: H=18 m;
Wave period: T=15 s;
Water Depth: d=121.9 m;

Current
1.0 m/s, assuming uniformly distributed from MWL to 5 meter below MWL
0 m/s, 5 meter below MWL to the seabed

Wave and current direction
1. Assuming in line with each other to be conservative.
2. 0 degree and 45 degree of environmental heading relative to the leg was assumed
respectively.

Marine growth
Assuming 12.5 mm covering the entire leg length

Chords

Mean rack width: W=0.8934m;
Characteristic length: D=0.8124m;

Hydrodynamic coefficients for bracing members

The smooth values apply above MWL + 2m and the rough values below MWL + 2m.

Hydrodynamic coefficients for chords in leg
At 0 degree environmental heading, all 4 racks will be at rack angle 45 degrees; at 45
degree environmental heading, 2 racks will be at rack angle 0 degree and the other 2 will
be at 90 degrees. The drag coefficients and inertia coefficients for chords at different rack
angles are calculated and tabulated below.


Multiplication factors
Based on all the member sizes and directions, multiplication factors are calculated for bracing
members and chords members for two environmental heading respectively. For chords members,
the hydrodynamic force also depends on rack angles, hence multiplication factors for different set
of chords with different rack angles are calculated separately. The results are illustrated in the
table below.


Hydrodynamic force on unit diameter columns
Based on the assumptions made above, hydrodynamic forces under different hydrodynamic
coefficient assumptions for unit diameter columns are summarized in the table below.


The total base shear and overturning moment for 1 meter diameter columns for the 4 cases
above are obtained by SACS software and illustrated in the table below
Case Number Base shear (kN) Overturning Moment (kN.m)
Case 1 389.05 35613.500
Case 2 391.67 35821.992
Case 3 505.803 46777.559
Case 4 724.142 67938.930

Hydrodynamic force on entire leg
In combination of multiplication factors and forces on unit diameter columns, total force on the
entire leg for 0 degree and 45 degree environmental headings are obtained.


Total base shear with 0 degree environmental heading:
3833.08 kN
Total overturning moment with 0 degree environmental heading:
352474.89 kN.m
Total base shear with 45 degree environmental heading:
3207.50 kN
Total overturning moment with 45 degree environmental heading:
296593.81 kN.m