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Mooring System:
The mooring system consists of freely hanging lines connecting the surface
platform to anchors, or piles, on the seabed, positioned at some distance from
the platform.
“Often laid out symmetrically in plan view around the object in question”
Types of Mooring Lines:
1. Steel-Linked chain
2. Wire rope
3. Synthetic fiber rope
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 1
2020
1. Steel-Linked chain
2. Wire rope
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 3
2020
3. Synthetic rope
Mooring systems using taut fibre ropes have been designed and
installed to reduce mooring line length, mean- and low-frequency
platform offsets, fairlead tension and thus the total mooring cost.
(Still a lot of R&D in progress)
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 4
2020
Mooring system design philosophy:
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 5
2020
Single Point Mooring (SPM):
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 7
2020
In order to further reduce the environmental loading on the
mooring system from the surface vessel in extreme conditions, dis-
connectable turret mooring systems have also been developed.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 8
2020
Functional requirements for the mooring system:
1. Offset limitations
2. Lifetime before replacement
3. Install-ability
4. Positioning ability
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 9
2020
Comparison of typical MODU and FPS mooring requirements:
MODU Floating Production
Design for 50-yr return period event. Designed for 100 yr return period
Anchors may fail in larger events. events.
Components designed for < 10 yr life Components designed for > 10 yr life
Fatigue analysis not required Fatigue analysis required
Life dynamics analysis not required Life dynamics analysis required
Missing line load case not required Missing line load case required
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 10
2020
Steel Chain or Wire Catenary lines:
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 13
2020
Additional advantages include the
fact that there is reduced line
length and seabed footprint, as
depicted in the adjacent figure
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 15
2020
Important properties of synthetic lines to considered in design:
▪ Stiffness
▪ Hysteresis and heat build up
▪ Fatigue
▪ Other issues
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 16
2020
Stiffness:
Cases are known in which the rope has become so hot that the
polyester fibers have melted. This effect is of greater concern with
larger diameters or with certain lay types because dissipation of the
heat to the environment becomes more difficult.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 18
2020
Fatigue:
The main reason for this decreased fatigue life is local axial
compression. Although the rope as a whole is under tension, some
components may go into compression, resulting in buckling and
damage of the fibres.
Synthetic fibre lines used within taut moorings require the use of
anchors that are designed to allow uplift at the seabed.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 20
2020
Loading Mechanism on Mooring System:
There are various loading mechanisms acting on a moored floating vessel as depicted in the
previous figure are:
For a specific weather condition, the excitation forces caused by current are usually
assumed temporally constant, with spatial variation depending on the current profile and
direction with depth.
Wind loading is often taken as constant, at least, in initial design calculations, though
gusting can produce slowly varying responses.
Wave forces result in time-varying vessel motions in the 6 rigid body degrees of freedom of
surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw.
▪Static design
▪Quasi Static Design
▪Dynamic Design 30
Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 21
2020
Mooring Hardware Components
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 22
2020
Chain, wire or rope or their combination:
Chain and wire make up the strength members for the mooring system.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 23
2020
Wire rope:
Wire rope consists of individual wires wound in a helical pattern
to form a “strand”.
The pitch of the helix determines the flexibility and axial stiffness
of the strand.
Stud-link chain and six-strand wire rope are the most common
mooring components for MODUS and other “temporary” moorings.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 24
2020
Wire rope:
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 25
2020
Common “classes” of multi-strand rope include (Myers, 1969):
6x7 class: 7 wires per strand, usually used for standing rigging.
Poor flexibility and fatigue life, excellent abrasion resistance.
Minimum drum diameter/rope diameter (D/d) = 42.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 26
2020
Multi-strand wire ropes may contain either a fibre or a metallic core.
Fibre core (FC) ropes are not generally used for heavy duty marine
applications.
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Dept. of Chemical Engineering,VIT University. December 28
2020
Turrets:
The hull design in the turret region must reflect the fact that the amount of primary
steel is reduced here with an appropriate increase in the stress concentration.
Careful selection of turret position is important because of its influence on:
➢ Vessel yaw