OE6200 DESIGN OF OFFSHORE STRUCTURES–TYPICAL QUESTIONS (Module 4)

1. Define tubular joint.

2. Why are bolted connections not preferred for offshore structures?
3. Explain with neat sketch showing the welding between chord and brace.
4. Briefly explain the geometric classification of tubular joints.
5. Differentiate balanced and unbalanced joint.
6. What are the major parameters involving tubular joint design?
7. Explain a tubular joint with neat sketch defining all parameters.
8. Explain the various modes of failure of tubular chord member.
9. Briefly explain the methodology adopted in estimation of ultimate strength of tubular
connections.
10. What are the material related issues that can cause failure of tubular joint?
11. Explain the load path dependent classification of joints.
12. Write the equation for ultimate strength of chord against brace axial and moment loads
and explain the terms
13. Write down the interaction equation for tubular connections and explain the terms.
14. Define Hot Spot Stress and the method to determine it from FE analysis.
15. Briefly describe the procedure adopted for design of multi-planer tubular joints.
16. Define Stress Concentration Factor (SCF) and explain the terms involved
17. List the limiting parameters of joint design as per API RP 2A.
18. Classify a tubular joint with two braces carrying 1600 kN axial load compression for
brace 1 and 1800 kN axial tension for the brace 2 and the brace angles being 30 degree
for the brace 1 and 60 degree for the brace 2.
19. Brace 1 and 2 of a tubular joint carries 2000 kN axial load compression. Classify the
joint based on load path and write the expression for the joint capacity.
20. What are the design practices to be followed as per API RP 2A?
21. A tubular T joint having chord diameter of 1000mm with a nominal thickness of 20mm
is connected to a brace of a diameter 600mm and thickness 25mm. The increased
thickness at the joint is 50mm and length 1100mm. Calculate the allowable capacity of
the chord against the axial load from the brace. Take Yield strength of the chord member
as 325 MPa.
22. Briefly explain the method of analysis of internal ring stiffened tubular joints.
23. A tubular joint is reinforced with internal ring stiffener of thickness 20mm and depth
100mm. The chord diameter and thickness is 1000mm and 25mm. Determine the
equivalent thickness to be used in conjunction with API RP 2A equation using
equivalent thickness method.
24. List the classification of structural steel as per API RP 2A.
25. Why higher strength steel > 400 MPa is not good for tubular joints?
26. Briefly explain the necessity of special material with through thickness property (TTP)
required for tubular connections.
27. What is heat affected zone?
28. How can we reduce the effect of material related issues in tubular joints?
29. What is the meaning of Z35 or Z25 in selection of steel for tubular joints?
30. A tubular T joint is subjected to an axial load of 5000kN from a brace of 500mmx25mm
on to a chord of 800mm x 40mm. Determine the thickness and height of internal ring
stiffeners (2 Nos) required to keep the chord safe. Take Yield strength of the chord
member as 325 MPa. Use shear capacity of rings.
31. Why are overlapping joints not recommended by API RP 2A? List the reasons.
32. A grouted leg joint (T joint) with 50mm thickness of leg and 50mm thickness of pile is
subjected to a bending moment of 3000 kNm from a brace. Calculate the allowable
bending capacity of the leg and the interaction ratio. The chord and brace diameters are

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 1824mm and 762mm respectively. Take Yield strength of the chord member as 325
MPa.
33. Describe the joint detailing required to adopt API RP 2A design procedure.
34. What are the reasons for minimum brace angle of 30 degrees with chord?
35. Why must tubular joints be designed for 50% of the brace capacity?
36. A tubular joint of a jacket located in severe seismic zone has the following joint
configuration. Determine the joint strength.
Chord : 1200mmx50mm and length of increased section=3000mm, nominal
thickness=25mm and Yield strength=350 MPa.
Brace : 800mmx25mm and brace angle with chord = 30 degrees and Length=30m, Yeild
strength=25 MPa.
37. Explain the failure of tubular joint by unzipping.
38. Determine the minimum thickness of chord required to carry an axial load of 1200kN
from a brace of diameter 500mm and angle of the brace is 90deg. The diameter and yield
strength of chord is 800mm and 345 MPa respectively.
39. A tubular Y joint is subjected to a combined axial load of P and inplane bending moment
Mip of 1000 kNm and outoff plane bending moment Mop of 500 kNm. The race angle is
45 degrees and the diameter of chord and brace is 864mm and 510mm respectively.
Thickness and yield strength of chord is 40mm and 345 MPa respectively. Determine the
axial load P applied on the brace.
40. Calculate the chord load factor Qf for axial load from a brace making an angle of 90
degree to the chord if the chord is subjected to an axial load of 500 kN and inplane and
out-off plane bending moment of 600 kNm and 500 kNm respectively. The chord
diameter and thickness are 864mm and 400mm respectively. Consider the yield strength
of chord as 345bMPa.
41. Define fatigue failure.
42. What are the primary causes of fatigue failure.
43. Briefly explain the crack growth and their characteristics.
44. Explain the difference between high cycle and low cycle fatigue.
45. Define endurance limit against failure by fatigue.
46. List the various loads causing failure by fatigue.
47. Compare failure estimation by fracture mechanics and cumulative damage method.
48. Define hot spot stress range and give examples and explain the method of calculation
with respect to wave load.
49. Give an example of wave scatter data and explain the terms.
50. Differentiate deterministic fatigue analysis with spectral fatigue analysis and its
applicability to offshore structures.
51. Draw local stress increase across a brace/chord interface and indicate the components
and explain how they are incorporated in fatigue analysis.
52. Briefly explain the method of estimating the Stress Concentration factor ?
53. Which are empirical methods available to estimate the SCF of tubular joints.
54. Explain with neat sketch how a HSS at a quarter point in a brace chord interface can be
obtained. Compare API RP 2A and DNV approach.
55. Write an equation for generic S-N curve and explain the progressive failure.
56. Explain the need of thickness correction factor for S-N curve.
57. Define fatigue damage using Palmgren-Miner rule.
58. Explain briefly the necessity of larger factor safety against the fatigue failure.
59. Summarise the FOS against fatigue as per revised API RP 2A.
60. What caution shall be taken in reinforcing the tubular connections with ring to increase
the fatigue life.

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OE6200 DESIGN OF OFFSHORE STRUCTURES–TYPICAL QUESTIONS (Module 4)

61. List down the methods of fatigue life improvement techniques.

62. Draw a neat picture of profiled welding as against the normal welded joint.
63. Calculate the fatigue life of a tubular joint subjected to a stress range of 25 MPa and the
number of cycles of 3 Million in a year. The stress concentration factor is 2.5. The
Log10(k1) and m for the S-N curve is 12.48 and 3 respectively.
64. Calculate and plot the hot spot stress range for a tubular joint subjected to a nominal
axial, inplane and out-off plane stresses of 50MPa, 20 MPa and 15MPa respectively
using DNV-RPC203 method at 8 points along the interface. The chord and brace
dimensions of the T joint are 862x32mm and 508x25mm respectively. Chord End fixity
parameter shall be taken as 0.7. Chord length shall be taken as 12m.
65. Calculate the stress concentration factor (SCF) for a Y joint comprising of brace 500x20
and chord of 762x32 with an angle of 30 degrees. Plot the hot spot stresses at 8 points
along the brace chord interface for the following brace cyclic loading.

Axial Load = 60 kN
Inplane moment = 90 kNm
Out-off plane moment = 80 kNm

Compute the SCF using Ethymiuo equation. Hot Spot Stress range needs to be computed
using linear interpolation of inplane and out-off plane stresses for quarter points.

Determine the fatigue damage on both chord and brace side if the above loading is applied
for a 12x105 cycles. Use API RP 2A – WJT S-N curve. Length of chord on both sides of
the joint is to be taken as 20m and use joint fixity factor as 0.7.
66. A lifting crane vessel travels from Singapore to Mumbai as shown in figure 1. It took
almost 4 weeks to travel to reach the destination. During Transit, the boom will be in a
stowed condition as shown in figure 1. Upon reaching Mumbai, it is used to transfer goods
weighing 250 kN from ship to shore as shown in figure 2. The crane operates 12 hours a
day on an average with turn around cycle for lifting each time as 20 minutes for one year.

Figure 1 in transit condition

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 Figure 2 in lifting condition
Following data is given.
Weight of crane = 1000 kN
Weight of Boom = 250 kN
Roll angle during travel = 10 degrees with a period of oscillation as 10 sec
Yield strength of Material shall be taken as 345 MPa and Modulus of elasticity of steel is
2x105 MPa.
Effective length factor for the pedestal shall be taken as 2.1 and the effective length shall
be from base of pedestal to the centre of crane mass.
Mass of crane and part of boom shall act the centre of gravity of crane (assumed)
Weight of pedestal can be ignored in all calculations
For inline-fatigue, use DNV F curve.

67. Compute  the  fatigue  damage  of  a  tubular  joint  of  chord  1200mmx50mm  and  brace  of 
762mmx25mm  subjected  to  heave  motion  of  15  m/sec2  with  a  heave  period  of  10  sec  during 
transportation for a period of 60 days. The effective mass of the joint is 5000 kN. The S‐N curve 
parameter Log(k1) is 12.48 for N<107 with a slope (m) of 3 and 16.30 for N>107 with a slope (m) 
of 5. SCF of brace/Chord interface is to be taken as 2.5. 

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