SENSITIVITY study of peak enhancement factor

on fatigue damage of fixed platform joints by

Spectral method of Fatigue Analysis in The Al-
Jurf field, offshore Libya block
Abstract
Fatigue analysis of offshore structures is an integral part of design of offshore structures and shall be
carried out with suitable method of discretizing the seastate. Historically, for most of the fixed offshore
structures, spectral fatigue analysis found to predict the fatigue damage reasonably well and has been in
use for several decades.

Fixed structures with small topsides, mostly exhibit a static response characteristics and the natural
period may be in the order of less than 2 seconds. Offshore platforms with larger production capacity
and deeper water depths may require specialized treatment of seastate due to their dynamic
characteristics more vulnerable for fatigue damage. A spectral fatigue analysis has been performed for
living quarters platform with different peak enhancement factor in LIBYA OFFSHORE platform and a
comparison is made with ftigue damage and design life. The spectral fatigue analysis with peak
enhancement factor equal to one indicates that the predicted fatigue life is higher than the peak
enhacement factor with equal to 3, since the spectral energy distribution amplifies the severity of wave
loads are treated approximately in fully developed seas. Hence for large structures, it recommended to
use spectral methods to assess the fatigue life of tubular joints with y =1 and 3.3 and then the results
shall be studied and conservatively designed.

Keywords: Fatigue analysis, stress concentration factor, spectral methods, dynamic response, wave
response, dynamic amplification factor, fatigue damage.