Analytical Predictions of the Air Gap Response of Floating Structures

Abstract

Two separate studies are presented here that deal with analytical predictions of the air gap for floating structures. 1) To obtain an understanding of the importance of first and second-order incident and diffracted wave effects as well as to determine the influence of the structure’s motions on the instantaneous air gap, statistics of the air gap response are studied under various modeling assumptions. For these detailed studies, a single field point is studied here—one at the geometric center (in plan) of the Troll semi-submersible. 2) A comparison of the air gap at different locations is studied by examining response statistics at different field points for the semi-submersible. These include locations close to columns of the four-columned semi-submersible. Analytical predictions, including first and second-order diffracted wave effects, are compared with wave tank measurements at several locations. In particular, the gross root-mean-square response and the 3-h extreme response are compared.