Chapter 5 - Mooring analysis

Abstract

The engineering analysis to evaluate the mooring system performance is presented in this chapter. The mooring system theoretical background is first introduced. The basic catenary equations are used to explain some elementary concepts used in the mooring analysis, such as quasistatic and dynamics analysis approaches, mooring stiffness, added mass and damping in dynamic analysis. It is followed by the numerical models to represent the floater, the mooring lines, and risers as building blocks of the overall station-keeping system. The modern mooring engineering analysis is then explained to predict the floater dynamic responses, mooring line tensions, and riser loads. The discussion leads to the comparisons of quasistatic and dynamics analysis approaches, frequency domain and time-domain approaches, and uncoupled and coupled analysis approaches. The response-based analysis and the commonly used engineering software tools are also described.