DEPARTMENT OF

NAVAL ARCHITECTURE &

MARINE ENGINEERING

Degree of BEng/MEng in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

Degree of BEng/MEng in Naval Architecture with Ocean Engineering
Degree of BEng/MEng in Naval Architecture with Small Craft Engineering
Degree of MEng in Naval Architecture
MSc/PGDip in Offshore Floating Systems
MSc/PGDip in Ship & Offshore Structures
MSc/PGDip in Ship & Offshore Technology (HUT)
MSc/PGDip in Subsea Engineering

NM521/NM958

Risers & Mooring Lines

10th January 2013

2.00-4.00
Attempt THREE Questions
(All Questions worth equal marks)

Calculators must not be used to store text and/or formulae nor be

capable of communication. Invigilators may require calculators to be
reset.

Page 1 of 5

NM521/NM958 Risers & Mooring Lines 10th January 2013

1.

(a)

Describe the conventional catenary mooring system for a floating

platform in terms of its line composition, material and fixing to the
seabed.
For deepwater floating production systems, describe the alternative to
the conventional catenary mooring and discuss why.
Discuss the pros and cons of the turret mooring and the spread mooring
of FPSOs.
(10)

(b)

For the typical single leg hybrid riser depicted in Figure 1, name or
describe the components pointed with the arrows.
List two issues which in your view are important to the riser design.
Describe why they are important and how they can be tackled.

Figure 1
(10)

Contd./
Page 2 of 5

NM521/NM958 Risers & Mooring Lines 10th January 2013

2.

(a)

Give a series of sketches to show the effect of Reynolds number on

the flow pattern around a circular cylinder in steady uniform flows.
(5)

(b)

Draw a graph to illustrate the drag coefficient variation with Reynolds

number for a smooth and a rough circular cylinders, respectively. Give
a typical value of the drag coefficient for marine riser analysis and
design.
(5)

(c)

What are the factors which affect the natural frequency of a top
tensioned vertical riser? Sketch the first three vibration modes.
(5)

(d)

3.

For line structures such as risers and mooring lines, describe how to
estimate the fluid loading on the structure, taking into account the
effects of ocean currents, waves, as well as the motion of structure
itself.
(5)

Consider a submerged buoy attached to a seabed anchor by a mooring line of

length 100 metres and a submerged weight per unit length of 30 N/m, as
shown in Figure 2.
If the net buoyancy force, Fx, of the submerged buoy is approximately 5000 N
and the horizontal drag force, Fy, on the buoy 750 N,

(a)

Determine the horizontal and vertical excursion of the buoy from the
mooring anchor point.
(15)

(b)

Determine the magnitude and direction of the force that the mooring
line exerts on the anchor.
(5)

Contd./
Page 3 of 5

NM521/NM958 Risers & Mooring Lines 10th January 2013

Figure 2
Note: The following catenary equations may be needed in order to answer Question 3.

y ( x) =

L=

H
mg l
mg
mg l
cosh
x
cosh

mg
H 2
H
H 2

2H
mg l
sinh

mg
H 2

where L is the line length; H is the horizontal component of the line tension. l is the
line span as illustrated in the graph below.

F
Fx
W

Contd./
Page 4 of 5

NM521/NM958 Risers & Mooring Lines 10th January 2013

4.

A long top tensioned vertical riser in uniform current has the following
particulars:
Riser OD = 0.52 m
Riser ID = 0.47 m
Riser Length = 1000 m

It is assumed that the natural frequency of the lateral vibration is controlled by

the top tension, i.e. the bending rigidity of the riser can be ignored.

(a)

Explain the term lock-in vibration.

(5)

(b)

It is known that the lock-in VIVs occur at the 10th mode of the riser
with the vibration frequency at 0.4 Hz. Assuming that the VIV
amplitude is as large as the riser OD, calculate the fatigue life of the
riser.
(10)

(c)

If, at a lower current speed, the lock-in VIV occurs at the 5th mode
with the same VIV amplitude, re-calculate the fatigue life of the riser.
(5)

Note: The number of cycles to failure is given by

N = Aa m

with a being the stress range in N/mm. A = 4.31 1011 and m = -3.
E = 2.1x1011N/m2

END OF PAPER

Page 5 of 5