Transportation Barge Research Articles

Dynamic analysis of lift-off operation of offshore wind turbine jacket foundation from the transportation barge

The lift-off operation of the offshore wind turbine jacket foundation from a barge is investigated in this study. Firstly, the hydrodynamic analysis of the two ships is carried out via AQWA, considering the series configuration and L-shaped configuration. The damping lid method is introduced to address viscous correction and validated by a frequency-time-domain validation. The damping lid factor for the two configurations are set to be 0.02 and 0.04. The time-domain simulation of multi-body lifting system, including lifting wires, slings, and deck fenders, are then carried out. In the nonstationary time-domain simulation, the sensitivity of wave direction, vessel configuration and deck fender stiffness are investigated, indicating that the most critical stage during the lift-off operation corresponds to when about 70% weight of the jacket is lifted by the heavy-lift vessel. The series configuration under head sea in 70% load transfer stage is chosen for subsequent steady-state simulations. Extreme value analysis is carried out based on the Gumbel distribution. The allowable sea states are then evaluated. The operability is obtained by using the 20-year hindcast wave data of three certain sites off Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang coast, which are 60%, 55% and 65%, respectively.

Experimental investigation on hydrodynamic performance of side-by-side three barges in topsides floatover installation in beam seas

The single barge floatover method faces great challenges when it comes to the gigantic topsides and the substructures lack of sufficient slots. The twin-barge floatover system with large capacities and great flexibilities for various topsides and substructures would be a promising alternative for fixed and floating platforms. This study experimentally investigates the dynamic responses of the floatover system in beam waves with the focus on one of the critical load transfer steps, namely, the topsides transfer operations onto the twin-barge from a transportation barge. Three representative intermediate stages, i.e., 0%, 50%, and 100% stages, were experimentally simulated. Results revealed that the upwind barge experienced larger motions than others, attributed to the shielding effect. Results implied that the in-between fluid resonant may have great influences on the motions. The twin-barge floatover system were subjected to six degree-of-freedom motions in beam random waves because of the unsymmetrical configurations. The impact loads on mating units demonstrated that the lateral loads were quite considerable and they should be paid much attention. The mooring force varied slightly, and the tether lines bear large snap loads at the 0% stage. The critical stage for different components were identified based on comparisons of loads at three stages.

Experimental investigation on continuous load transfer process of twin-barge float-over installation

The objective of the present study is to investigate the dynamic motions and impact loads of twin-barge float-over installation with the model tests, which involve multi-body interactions between wave-induced vessel motions and constraint components. A particular contribution of the model tests is that a novel remote rapid (de)ballasting system based on an intelligent algorithm is provided to change the draft of transportation and installation barges continuously, and the load transfer process of twin-barge float-over installation can be simulated in a continuous manner. In addition, several shock absorbers with adjustable constraint components, including the deck support units (DSUs), leg mating units (LMUs), surge and sway fenders, are carefully designed to smooth the continuous load transfer process. The impact loads between topside, barges and substructure can be captured accurately and efficiently. Two typical cases in the mating phase of twin-barge float-over installation, namely Case B2B where the topside is transferred from transportation barge to installation barges, and Case B2J where the topside is transferred from installation barges to pre-installed jacket, are simulated in the model tests. Results indicate that the impact loads on the DSUs of transportation barge increase and those on the DSUs of installation barges decrease continuously as the draft of transportation barge increases in Case B2B. Furthermore, the impact loads on the DSUs of installation barges decrease and the impact loads on the LUMs of Jacket increase continuously as the draft of installation barges increases in Case B2J. The relative motions and impact loads between the topside, barges, and jacket are within an acceptable limit in the investigated conditions. In addition, two particular phenomena are captured in the model tests. One is that the load transfer rate of the topside is closely related to the trim angle of the transportation barge, and another one is that the separations between stabbing pins of topside and receptor cones of DSUs are asynchronous. These phenomena have never been observed in conventional simulation methods.

Potentials and Challenges of Existing Plastic Pollutant Biodegradation Using Bacteria in Jakarta Bay

Research conducted by Research Center for Marine and Fisheries Product Processing and Biotechnology in the three different locations namely Tarakan, Tanjung Balai Asahan, and Jakarta Bay, has identified that Jakarta Bay had the highest plastic debris concentration among the others. Jakarta Bay is directly connected to Thousand Island National Park sea waters, in which large parts of it are marine conservation area. Thus, plastic pollutants potentially threat Jakarta Bay and Thousand Island National Park abundant biodiversity and underwater marine ecotourism. The tools such as garbage transport barges owned by Special Region of the Capital Jakarta Province are not enough to overcome the existing plastic debris. 21 tons waste end up to Jakarta Bay every day. There should be further research about solving existing plastic waste with other technology than using machine. This literature study aims to review and investigate the potentials and challenges of utilizing bacteria to combat existing marine plastic pollution in Jakarta Bay. Established researches showed that some bacteria strains isolated from plastic debris in some sea waters and sediments around the world are capable of degrading polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and possibly polystyrene (PS). Unfortunately, reports involving plastic degrading ability of bacteria isolated from plastic wastes in Indonesian sea waters, let alone Jakarta Bay, are hard to find if any. There were only researches about isolated bacterias from Jakarta Bay, which were capable of degrading oil spill. Further research about isolated bacteria from plastic debris of Jakarta Bay, should be established. It can be used to identify bacteria strains or consortia that are able to degrade plastic debris with environmentally friendly byproducts. There will be possibilities that oil spill degrading bacteria isolated from Jakarta Bay can also degrade plastics, as both oil spill and plastics are made up from hydrocarbon chains. A recently published research has revealed that Alvoranicus borkumensis isolated from marine plastic debris in Mediterranean Sea was able to degrade PE, while previously other study has isolated it from Thousand Islands sea waters and found it able to degrade marine oil spill. The expression possibility of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequence coding extracted from wax worm Galleria mellonella into widespread indigeneous Jakarta Bay bacteria and bacteria isolated from plastic debris in Jakarta Bay, can also be taken into account.

Dynamic analysis of block offloading using self-propelled modular transporters

Abstract A self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) is a platform vehicle with a large array of wheels that is used for transporting outsized objects. In a shipyard, a number of connected SPMTs are used to move outsized blocks transported from abroad to the floating dock to increase the productivity and reduce the operation time. This operation is called offloading. This study proposes a method of analyzing the offloading operation dynamically. To develop this method, multibody dynamics was used to analyze the motion of the transportation barge, and a floating dock connected by hinge joints was adopted. The modeling of the mechanical parts of the SPMT was also proposed, taking into consideration the axle compensation mechanism to maintain the level of the platform when the SPMT drives over an uneven roadway by lifting up the wheel. Furthermore, a non-interpenetration constraint method between a plane and the cylinder was derived for the collision between the wheels of the SPMT and the decks of the transportation barge and floating dock. The non-interpenetration constraint method was successfully applied to the dynamic analysis of block offloading using SPMTs. From the dynamic analysis, the safety criteria according to the given wave conditions were evaluated.

Active tugger line force control for single blade installation

AbstractSingle blade installation is one of the methods for installing large wind turbine blades at an offshore site. During this installation, each blade is lifted by the main crane from the deck of an installation vessel or a transportation barge with blade root approaching the hub. The blade root is then bolted to the hub. The final mating phase is critical and requires high precision. Tugger lines from the crane boom are connected to the suspended blade to reduce pendulum motions. The entire process is typically completed without active tugger line force control. Due to wind‐induced blade loads, strict requirement on installation precision, and the limitations imposed by the lifting equipment, the single blade installation operations are subject to weather constraints. Therefore, developing techniques to reduce the blade motions and consequently shorten the installation time is desired. In this paper, an active control scheme is proposed to control the tugger line forces acting on a blade during the final installation stage before mating. A simplified three degree‐of‐freedom blade installation model is developed for the control design. An extended Kalman filter is used to estimate the blade motions and wind velocities. Feedback linearization and pole placement techniques are applied for the design of the controller. Simulations under turbulent wind conditions are conducted to verify the active control scheme, which effectively reduces the blade root motions in the wind direction.

Operational risk assessment of offshore transport barges

Offshore operations such as load-out/float-off, transportation and installation involve a large number of operational hazards which impose high risks on human safety and assets. During such operations, there are many situations in which transport barges and Heavy Lift Vessels (HLVs) may expose to significant hazards including structural and mechanical failures. In this work, the system of a submersible barge was reviewed based on a Hazard Identification (HAZID) technique in order to identify the worst-case scenarios during load-out/float-off operations. In addition, a fuzzy set approach was developed to quantify and assess the risk level during offshore operations of an offshore structure due to several hazardous scenarios. Rule-based fuzzy logic models were created and tested using different types of membership functions to calculate risk values, and the potential hazard impacts on the safety of crew members, the environment, the barge and the offshore structure being loaded/launched were evaluated. Fuzzy set techniques enabled a further sensitivity analysis to be conducted for the top-ranked failure modes. Overall, the paper contributes towards the development of the current guidelines for offshore operations.

Study of lifting operation of a tripod foundation for offshore wind turbine

This study addresses numerical analysis of the installation of a tripod foundation using a heavy lift vessel (HLV). Limiting sea states are firstly predicted in the frequency domain based on crane tip vertical motions using linear transfer functions. Then, numerical modelling and simulations are carried out in the time domain to analyse the coupled dynamic system taking into consideration of the nonlinearities of the system. In time-domain analysis, two lifting phases are brought into focus, i.e., the lift-off and the lowering phases. For the lift-off phase, two scenarios are considered, i.e., lift-off from the own deck of the HLV and lift-off from a transport barge. Moreover, comparative studies using two types of installation vessels, a floating vessel and a Jack-up, are investigated for the lowering process. Critical responses including the motions of the tripod and the lift wire tensions are presented and compared under various environmental and loading conditions.

The hydrodynamic performance of a novel float-over installation

Floaters float-over (FFO) is a new method of topside/deck installations that has the concept of transporting the topside/deck using two groups of floaters connected at its opposite sides. By ballasting and deballasting the floaters, the system will be able to raise the deck from the transportation barge, and then lower it down to the jacket or spar. FFO can work in wider range of sea states than conventional float-over methods due to its small water plane area and large mass. FFO is, therefore, a competitive method compared to other heavy lift and float-over methods.In this paper, the concept and design philosophies are presented. The performance of the system during its consequential installation stages is discussed with regard to the stability, motions and strength aspects. The main stages of FFO installation, namely, transportation, lowering of the group of floaters, connecting them to the deck, separation of the deck from the transportation barge and mating of the deck with jacket legs, are presented. In each step, stability and motions are determined at the prevailing sea state. Based on the results of the motion analysis, the impact and internal forces at the deck are computed and evaluated according to the industry codes and standards. A case study for a deck that is to be installed by either heavy lifting or float-over is included, to indicate the suitable sea state for installation and the required stiffening for the deck.

Lifting off simulation of an offshore supply vessel considering ocean environmental loads and lifting off velocity

An OSV (Offshore Support Vessel) is being used to install a structure which is laid on its deck or an adjacent transport barge by lifting off the structure with its own crane, lifting in the air, crossing splash zone, deeply submerging, and lastly landing it. There are some major considerations during these operations. Especially, when lifting off the structure, if operating conditions such as ocean environmental loads and lifting off velocity are not suitable, the collision can be occurred due to the relative motion between the structure and the OSV or the transport barge. To solve this problem, this study performs the physics-based simulation of the lifting off step while the OSV installs the structure. The simulation includes the calculation of dynamic responses of the OSV and the structure, including the collision detection between the transport barge and the structure. To check the applicability of the physics-based simulation, it is applied to a problem of the lifting off step by varying the ocean environmental loads and the lifting off velocity. As a result, it is confirmed that the operability of the lifting off step are affected by the conditions.

Hydrodynamic interaction between two barges during berthing operation in regular waves

In this study, the berthing problem in waves is numerically investigated by a time-domain simulation method based on a potential flow model. The boundary value problem for a berthing operation is formulated with respect to an earth-fixed coordinate system. The Laplace equation of a moving boundary problem is solved using the finite element method by adopting an efficient re-mesh algorithm. The developed numerical method is applied to investigate the berthing problem between two rectangular barges, with particular focus on the hydrodynamic forces acting on the barges during the berthing process. It is assumed that the two barges correspond to installation and transportation barges. To simplify the berthing problem, the transportation barge is assumed to approach the installation barge along a straight path at constant speed. The hydrodynamic force responses during berthing operation are investigated via a series of numerical computations. Further, the effects of wave heading and wave frequency are investigated. To validate present numerical results, model tests were conducted in the Ocean Engineering Basin of KRISO. The berthing tests were performed using two barge models under the head and beam sea conditions. Fairly good agreement is observed between the numerical simulation and experimental results.

Safety assessment of caisson transport on a floating dock by frequency- and time-domain calculations

When caissons are mounted on a floating transportation barge and towed by a tug boat in waves, motion of the floating dock creates inertia and gravity induced slip forces on the caisson. If its magnitude exceeds the corresponding friction force between the two surfaces, a slip may occur, which can lead to an unwanted accident. In oblique waves, both pitch and roll motions occur simultaneously and their coupling effects for slip and friction forces become more complicated. With the presence of strong winds, the slip force can appreciably be increased to make the situation worse. In this regard, the safety of the transportation process of a caisson mounted on a floating dock for various wind-wave conditions is investigated. The analysis is done by both frequency-domain approach and time-domain approach, and their differences as well as pros and cons are discussed. It is seen that the time-domain approach is more direct and accurate and can include nonlinear contributions as well as viscous effects, which are typically neglected in the linear frequency-domain approach.

Dynamic analysis of three adjacent bodies in twin-barge floatover installation

Floatover technology has been widely used in offshore installation, which has many substantial advantages compared with the traditional derrick barge. During the topside offloading of a twin-barge floatover installation, the transport barge is side by side moored between two floatover barges. In this paper, the twin-barge model with the connecting hawsers and pneumatic fenders is established. Coupled dynamic analysis is carried out to investigate the motions of the barges under wind, wave and current environments. Particular attention is paid to the effects on system responses with different frictional performance of fender, axial stiffness of the hawsers and environmental conditions. The research results can be used for optimizing the parameters of the system and reducing the risk of topside offloading.

Rolling of a transport barge in irregular seas, a comparison of motion analyses and model tests

With sea transport of heavy objects in focus, model tests of a barge in irregular waves have been performed. Securing the transported object to the deck of the barge is of vital importance, and an optimum load level to be used in the structural design is desirable. The aim is to investigate methods for predictions of barge roll motion and related sea fastening forces. Response from linear and non-linear numerical analyses is compared with results of model tests. It is found that the numerical analyses give slightly conservative results, and that the nonlinear time-domain analyses gives only marginally more accurate results than the linear frequency domain method.

Dynamic Analysis of Spar Hull Transportation

The transportation of a truss-spar hull from a transport barge of 6000 ton topside module on the spar hull is investigated in the present study. Two possible routes from a fabrication yard in Teeside, England to the Gulf of Mexico are considered in the paper. The results of motion responses of the transport barge obtained from a spectral analysis and the limiting criteria of sea fastening, deck wetness and lateral acceleration are compared and the route selection is discussed. Long-crested waves and short-crested seas as well as the joint probabilities of significant wave heights and wave periods in different sea areas are considered. Generally speaking, the results for long-crested seas are higher than those for short-crested waves.

Trends in organic pollutants and lipids in juvenile Snake River spring Chinook salmon with different outmigrating histories through the Lower Snake and Middle Columbia Rivers

A three-year field study was conducted from 2006 to 2008 to monitor the spatial and temporal trends of organic pollutants in migrating juvenile Snake River spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) sampled from the Lower Snake and Middle Columbia River Basins. Specifically, hatchery-reared juvenile salmon were monitored as they navigated the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) by either transport barge (Barged) or remained in the river (In-River) from Lower Granite Dam to a terminal collection dam, either John Day Dam or Bonneville Dam. Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine (OC) pesticides were detected in the bodies of both In-River and Barged salmon during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 outmigrating season. At the terminal dam, In-River fish had greater concentrations of persistent organic pollutants POPs than Barged salmon. Of the POPs detected, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were found at the greatest concentrations in the salmon bodies. These elevated lipid-normalized concentrations in the In-River fish were due to lipid depletion in all years as well as increased exposure to POPs in some years as indicated by an increase in wet weight contaminant concentrations. Salmon were also exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as indicated by the phenanthrene (PHN) signal for biliary fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs) at the hatcheries or prior to Lower Granite Dam. There were detectable levels of biliary FACs as fish migrated downstream or were barged to the terminal dam. Therefore, the potential exists for these organic pollutants and lipid levels to cause adverse effects and should be included as one of the variables to consider when examining the effects of the FCRPS on threatened and endangered juvenile salmon.

Dynamic Analysis of Topside Module in Lifting Installation Phase

The installation phase for a topside module suggested can be divided into 9 stages, which include start, pre-lifting, lifting, lifted, rotating, positioning, lowering, mating, and end of installation. The transfer of the topside module from a transport barge to a crane vessel takes place in the first three stages, from start to lifting, while the transfer of the module onto a floating spar hull occurs in the last three stages, from lowering to the end. The coupled multi-body motions are calculated in both calm water and in irregular waves with significant wave height (1.52m), with suggested force equilibrium diagrams. The effects of the hydrodynamic interactions between the crane vessel and barge during the lifting stage have been considered. The internal forces caused by the load transfer and ballasting are derived for the lifting phases. The results of these internal forces for the calm water condition are compared with those in the irregular sea condition. Although the effect of pitch motion on the relative vertical motion between the deck of the floating structure and the topside module is significant in the lifting phases, the internal force induced pitch motion is too small to show its influence. However, the effect of the internal force on the wave-induced heave responses in the lifting phases is noticeable in the irregular sea condition because the transfer mass-induced draught changes in the floating structure are observed to have higher amplitudes than the external force induced responses.

9/11-Related Experiences and Tasks of Landfill and Barge Workers: Qualitative Analysis from the World Trade Center Health Registry

BackgroundFew studies have documented the experiences of individuals who participated in the recovery and cleanup efforts at the World Trade Center Recovery Operation at Fresh Kills Landfill, on debris loading piers, and on transport barges after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.MethodsSemi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of workers and volunteers from the World Trade Center Health Registry. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the narratives.ResultsTwenty workers and volunteers were interviewed. They described the transport of debris to the Landfill via barges, the tasks and responsibilities associated with their post-9/11 work at the Landfill, and their reflections on their post-9/11 experiences. Tasks included sorting through debris, recovering human remains, searching for evidence from the terrorist attacks, and providing food and counseling services. Exposures mentioned included dust, fumes, and odors. Eight years after the World Trade Center disaster, workers expressed frustration about poor risk communication during recovery and cleanup work. Though proud of their contributions in the months after 9/11, some participants were concerned about long-term health outcomes.ConclusionsThis qualitative study provided unique insight into the experiences, exposures, and concerns of understudied groups of 9/11 recovery and cleanup workers. The findings are being used to inform the development of subsequent World Trade Center Health Registry exposure and health assessments.

Preliminary examination of oxidative stress in juvenile spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha of wild origin sampled from transport barges

Migrating juvenile wild Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, collected and loaded onto transport barges at Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River, were sampled from barges at John Day Dam, 348 km downstream, at 5 day intervals beginning in late April and ending in late May. An increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in vitamin E in liver were observed from early to late in the barge transportation season. These changes seemed unrelated to changes in plasma cortisol or corresponding glucose levels, which declined from early to late in the season, or the concentration of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) concentrations in tissue but may be related to water temperature, which increased during the transport season, or other changes associated with the parr-smolt transformation.

Deepwater DST Planning and Operations From a DP Vessel

This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 90557, "Deepwater DST Planning and Operations From a DP Vessel," by Robert J. Stomp, SPE, ConocoPhillips Co.; Graham J. Fraser, The Expro Group; and Stephen C. Actis, SPE, Luke F. Eaton, SPE, and Kerry C. Freedman, ConocoPhillips Co., prepared for the 2004 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, 26-29 September. ConocoPhillips is developing the Magnolia field with a tension-leg platform (TLP) in 4,674 ft of water in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The field was discovered in 1999, and appraisal wells were drilled in 2000 and 2001. The precompletion and drillstem-test (DST) operations overcame several challenges, including frac packing a thick, fine-grained interval and well testing from a dynamically positioned (DP) semisubmersible drilling rig while simultaneously transferring produced hydrocarbons to a transportation barge moored to the rig. Introduction The Magnolia asset team was formed in 2001 before drilling the last appraisal well. Front end loading leading up to field sanction in December 2001 included concept selection and field development plans. The Magnolia field would be developed from a TLP to provide direct vertical access for recompletions, future sidetrack drilling, flow assurance, and cost-effective remediation. The Magnolia development wells were predrilled (i.e., drilled from a mobile offshore drilling unit while the TLP was being built). The advantages of predrilling included minimizing capital exposure risks until shallow water-flow sands were isolated, allowing TLP well operations to be conducted with a lighter, lower-cost completion rig, which would further reduce the size and cost of the TLP hull; additional reservoir characterization before TLP installation; accelerating plateau production; and testing completion techniques in the precompleted well before “batch” completions of the remaining wells. The B-25 reservoir, the primary pay horizon at the Magnolia field, was the zone selected for a DST. Zone B-25 is characterized throughout the field by its highly laminated sequences and large gross thicknesses. Whole-core data and fluid samples were obtained from the GB783-2ST2 appraisal well. Evaluation of the appraisal-well data classified the reservoir-rock matrix as a coarse siltstone with the average mean grain-size diameter of 41 µm. Overall, the mean grain-size diameters ranged from 25 to 71 µm in Well GB783-2ST2. Test Objectives The objective of performing a precompletion DST was to obtain critical information regarding completion design and reservoir issues. This information would be needed before the planned batch-completion program scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2004.