Simplified seismic life cycle cost estimation of a steel jacket offshore platform structure

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper is to develop a simple methodology for seismic life cycle cost (LCC) estimation for a steel jacket offshore platform structure. This methodology accounts for accuracy of LCC modelling as well as simplicity of application. Accuracy is maintained through incorporating the effect of aleatory and epistemic uncertainties in the LCC estimation framework. Simplicity is achieved by using equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (ESDOF) system instead of the full structure and by eliminating full incremental dynamic analysis and fragility analysis. Instead, an approximate fragility curve and a localised incremental dynamic analysis curve are used along with a probabilistic simple closed-form solution for loss estimation. In the design of model structures, different bracing systems are used for the seismic design of the offshore platform, such as conventional and buckling-restrained braces. The proposed LCC methodology is validated through comparison with the results from a more rigorous method. It is found that even though the proposed methodology results in a slightly different solution compared to the reference method, the method can be used as an efficient tool for preliminary LCC evaluation of structures.