Effect of Tethers Tension Force on the Behavior of Triangular Tension Leg Platform

Abstract

Compliant structures like triangular tension leg platforms (TLPs) are proven to be highly cost effective in deep waters. The estimation of hydraulic forces due to waves on structural member of TLP is vital for its economic and safe design. In the current study, a numerical study for a triangular TLP using modified Morison equation was carried out in the time domain with water particle kinematics using Airy’s linear wave theory to investigate the effect of changing the tether tension force on the stiffness matrix of TLP's, the dynamic behavior of TLP's; and on the fatigue stresses in the cables. The effect was investigated for different parameters of the hydrodynamic forces such as wave periods, and wave heights. The numerical study takes into consideration the effect of coupling between various degrees of freedom. The stiffness of the TLP was derived from a combination of hydrostatic restoring forces and restoring forces due to cables. Nonlinear equation was solved using Newmark’s beta integration method. Only uni-directional waves in the surge direction was considered in the analysis.