ANSYS FOR FLOATING STRUCTURES

EVERYTHING FROM WAVE INTERACTION TO STEEL DETAILS

ANSYS Aqwa is a multi-body hydrodynamic program that utilizes three-dimensional radiation/diffraction theory for global loading
and motion simulations. In other words, it is a tool for simulating wave and current as well as wind loads on floating and fixed
offshore, wave energy systems and marine structures. It gives fast results compared to a CFD simulation, however, Aqwa is based on
potential theory so no viscous terms are therefore included, except when introduced through external models such as for roll
damping. ANSYS Aqwa is fully implemented in ANSYS Workbench providing a modern interface to develop and solve global models in
contact with water. The pressure and inertial loading achieved with ANSYS Aqwa can be coupled to ANSYS Mechanical to investigate
the stresses and deformations.
ANSYS Aqwa has a wide range of applications for marine operations and renewable equipment such as floating wind turbines and
wave energy devices. Situations to be analyzed are wave impact on an offshore platform, motion between multiple floating objects
in contact, lift operation, diffracted wave patterns around a structure and many more within the marine, renewable energy and
offshore industries.
In version 17.0, the Aqwa module became included in the Mechanical Enterprise license, adding enormous value to the ANSYS
customers.
Typical ANSYS AQWA applications

• Marine Operations
– Mooring
– Ship-to-Ship
– Lifting
Wave Energy Devices
• Renewable
– Floating wind turbines
– Wave energy devices
• Other
– Fishing industry
– …

Motions simulation

Lift operations
Analysis Options

• Static and dynamic stability

• Multi-body assemblies

• Frequency-domain solution of significant and extreme linear response

• Time-domain simulation including nonlinear hydrodynamic effects

• Second-order waves and irregular seas

• Utilization of full quadratic transfer function (QTF) matrices for slow drift effects, including both sum and
difference frequency components

• Diffracting and non-diffracting panels, discs, slender tubes, Morison elements - or mixed models

• Fully coupled cable dynamic features enabling mooring line drag and inertial characteristics to be included
 Obtain detailed hydrodynamic loading (ANSYS AQWA) with resulting structural
stresses and deformations (ANSYS MECHANICAL).

Pressure and Motion

Structural Stress
(Hydrodynamic Diffraction)
(Mechanical)

Coupled motions Global load mapping to Structural model for

Hull Pressures
In addition to plots and animations of interacting waves and pressure distributions, many other results are available including cable
forces, RAO’s (response amplitude operators), drift coefficients, shear force and bending moments. This valuable information are
useful to those developing marine structures, wave energy systems as well as for those in the oil and gas industry developing Floating
Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) structures and Tension Leg Platforms (TLP’s), etc.

Standard displacement and stress results can be found in a structural simulation (Mechanical) caused by hydrodynamic loading
(Aqwa). The structural results can be further investigated for fatigue and buckling assessment in ANSYS Workbench. In addition, sub-
modeling techniques can also be utilized calculating local strength.
 Increase operational Improve risk
Win new revenue
excellence management
• Design integration • One main interface • Early stage
concept/design
• Fully integrated within • Combines conceptual evaluation gives better
ANSYS Workbench studies (motion and basis for
forces) with detailed decisions/selection
• One license analysis (stress, fatigue)
• Better insight in product
• AQWA gives very quick behavior. Evaluate
extreme weather
answers compared to CFD scenarios etc.

Sign up for the ‘Introduction to Hydrodynamic analysis with ANSYS AQWA’ course for
learning the software and background theory from one of our specialist within the
field:
http://edrmedeso.com/training-events/upcoming-training-events/introduction-to-hydrodynamic-analysis-with-ansys-aqwa-2/