INCAM 2019 Conference, 3-5 July 2019, IISc Bangalore.

Dynamic Analysis of offshore Jacket sub structure using FEM

Ahammad Kabeer MS1, Rajesh P Nair2, and Narasimha D3
1
Dept. of Ship Technology, CUSAT, Cochin, Kerala, 682022,
2
Dept. of Ship Technology, CUSAT, Cochin, Kerala, 682022
3
Division of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, CUSAT,Cochin,Kerala, 682022
Contact: ahmdkabri@gmail.com

Abstract
The principal aim of this paper is to study the dynamic behavior of wellhead platforms, which is a 4-leg jacket
offshore structures in the Gulf of Thailand. This present study considers the effects of offshore jacket structure
subjected to environmental loading including wave load, wind load, and Earthquake load. A series of 3D
analyses were carried out using the ABAQUS finite element program. It is used for modeling and analyzing
based on the assumptions as space frames. For the structures in this flow separation regime, the wave forces
are generally computed by the Morison’s equation. The wave theory used for analysis is Airy wave theory and
Stokes 5th order wave theory. The dynamic responses of platform depend on the wave height, wave period,
current velocity, and boundary condition at supported. The results presented in this study can be used as
designed information for the dynamic behavior of offshore jacket structure considered.

Keywords: Offshore jacket structure, Airy wave theory, Stokes 5th order wave theory, abaqus, Morrison
equation

1. Introduction
One of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century was
oil and gas exploration. During the middle of the 20th
century, oil discovery started in nearshore and medium
range of water depth. Most of the offshore structures are
used in the shallow waters of the continental shelf, so
95% of the offshore platforms in the world are the jacket
designed. Offshore jacket structure is the fixed platform
which is built on concrete or steel legs anchored directly
onto the seabed, supporting a deck with space for
drilling rigs, production facilities and crew quarters. In
the design and analysis of fixed offshore structures,
many nonlinear physical quantities and mechanisms to
exist, that is difficult to quantify and interpret in relation
to hydrodynamic loading. The predominant dynamic
loads acting on the offshore jacket substructures are
wind, wave, current and seismic loadings. The types of Figure 1. Loads acting on a typical offshore jacket sub
loads and direction of loading condition are shown in structure
figure1. The present study is to determine the nonlinear
deformation of fixed jacket platforms subjected to
extreme loads such as wave load, wind load, and seismic
2. Methodology
load and their component structural behavior is a The offshore jacket structure is modelled using
function of the combination of these loads. ABAQUS AQUA where ABAQUS AQUA capabilities
In general, dynamic behavior analysis involves allow the application of buoyancy, drag and inertia loads
the determination of the response of offshore structure
resulting from submersion in a steady current, wave, and
or component which is subjected to forces or
wind.
displacements that vary with time. This present study
focus on the wellhead platform structure, which is 3. Finite element modelling
installed in the Bongkot project subjected to wave
loading [1]. This platform is located in the Gulf of The offshore jacket substructure was modeled as three-
Thailand. dimensional space frames in Abaqus. The three noded
quadratic beam elements, B32 from the ABAQUS

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element library, were used to model the platform tubular
members. The B32 elements have 16 integration points
around the circumference. The structural details of the
well head platform is shown in the figure 2.The joints
were assumed to be rigid. Material properties used for the
finite element model are as follows;
Figure 3. Finite element model of the Wellhead
platform
5. Water particle kinematics
The wave theories widely used for calculating the wave
loads acting on offshore structures are Airy wave theory
and Stokes 5th order wave theory. The selection of the
wave theory is based on the wave properties including
Wave height, wave period and water depth as shown in
Figure 4[2][3].

Figure 2. Structural details of the Wellhead platform

Table 1. The properties used for the Finite element

Structural model
Parameter Value
Poisson’s ratio 0.3 Figure 4. The selection of regular wave theory based
Density 7850 kg/m3 on API [4]
Young‘s Modulus 200x109 N/m2
The properties of the wave in the location for 1, 10 and
100 year return periods is shown in the table 2.
4. Boundary conditions
Table 1. The properties used for the Finite element
The bottom end of the well head offshore jacket Structural model
substructure is fixed at seabed. The finite element model
contains 179 elements and 770 nodes. The finite element Return period 1 10 100
model is shown in Figure 3.
Significant wave height (m) 1,1 2,9 6,6

Maximum wave height (m) 2,1 5,2 11,8

Mean period (sec) 3,6 6,0 7,8

Current speed, storm generated, tides included (m/s)

Near surface 0,42 0,53 0,83

Mid depth 0,21 0,23 0,27

Near bottom 0,15 0,15 0,16

ABAQUS/AQUA requires the definition of sea

water density, free surface elevation, the gravity
constant and the values of drag and inertia

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coefficients recommended by API [1] were shown
in Table 3.

Table 3. The details of Sea condition

Property value

Elevation of sea bed (m) -79,1

Elevation of still sea level (m) 0

2
Gravity of the sea fluid (m/s ) 9,81

3
Figure 5. Mode shape of vibration for the bottom fixed
Density of the sea fluid (kg/m ) 1021 offshore Jacket structure
Coefficient of Drag (CD) 0.65 Table 4. Comparison of Mode shapes
Coefficient of Inertia (CI) 1.60
Mode Wellhead Kinsale KvitebjØrn
Platform Alpha platform
6. Dynamic of structures platform[2] [3]

The dynamic response of the offshore structure 1 x-axis sway x-axis sway x-axis sway
under regular wave is given below
[𝑀]{𝑈̈ } + [𝐶]{𝑈̇} + [𝐾]{𝑈} = {𝐹} (1)
Where [M] is the total mass matrix of the system, 2 y-axis sway y-axis sway y-axis sway
[C] is the damping matrix, [K] is the structural
stiffness matrix, {U} the nodal displacements, {𝑈̇}
is the nodal velocities, {𝑈̈} is the nodal 3 torsion torsion torsion
accelerations, and {F}is the hydrodynamic force.
The mode shapes and natural frequencies of the
offshore structure without external loads and 8. Conclusion
damping may be written as
The ABAQUS predicted the same mode shapes for the
[𝑀]{𝑈̈} + [𝐾]{𝑈} = 0 (2) dynamic analysis of steel jacket platforms subjected to
wave loading for environmental condition in the gulf of
7. Results and discussions Thailand as that in literature. The displacement is on
progress.
This section presents the finite element results of the
wellhead platform by ABAQUS program analysis. The 9. References
first three mode shapes for wellhead platform were
determined under different boundary condition at the
[1] Weeraphan, J., Somchal, C., and, Kittisak, K.
seabed, water level, and steady current velocity. The
Dynamic analysis of offshore structures in the gulf
first three mode shapes associated with natural
of Thailand by using Abaqus Program, Proceedings
frequency of the fixed supported is shown in Figure 5.
of the 13th National Conference on Civil
These results show that the x-axis and y-axis
Engineering. 2008; 05(1):171-175.
sway occurs in the first and second mode, but torsion
[2] American Petroleum Institute, Recommended
occurs in the third mode. Table 7 shows the comparison
practice for planning, design and constructing fixed
of the first three mode shapes of steel jacket platforms. offshore platforms - working stress design, API
recommended practice 2A-WSD,2000; 21st Ed.,
USA.
[3] Chakrabarti, S. (2005). Handbook of offshore
engineering. Vol 1, 2. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
[4] Hartnett, M. (2000). “The application of a spectral
response model to fixed offshore
structures”. Computers & Structures, 78(1-3): 355-
364.

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[5] Karunakaran, D., Haver, S., Beirtheim, M., and,
Spidsoe, N. Dynamic Behaviour of Kvitebjorn
Jacket in North Sea. The proceedings of the
International conference on offshore mechanics and
Arctic Engineering, 2001; Vol 1:511-518.

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