A simulation technique for monitoring the real-time stress responses of various mooring configurations for offshore floating wind turbines

• Published in: Ocean engineering Vol. 278; p. 114366
• Main Authors: Chen, Mingsheng, Li, Chun Bao, Han, Zhaolong, Lee, Jae-bin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.06.2023
• Subjects: Nonlinear mooring dynamics; Real-time mooring stresses; Simulation technique; User-subroutine; Various mooring configurations; Simulation technique; Real-time mooring stresses; User-subroutine; Nonlinear mooring dynamics; Various mooring configurations
• ISSN: 0029-8018; 1873-5258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2023.114366

The concept of monitoring mooring stress response in real-time is not new, but its direct implementation in offshore wind energy activities is still a challenge. The study aims to present a simulation technique for controlling the hydrodynamic forces acting on the finite element mooring lines depending on a user-subroutine of an explicit finite element software. By controlling the mooring forces based on mooring nodal displacement in real-time, the mooring stress response is possible to be calculated using the finite element method. We introduced the theoretical background to develop the present method. In order to validate the present method, the five typical mooring configurations proposed by international standards were prepared: Catenary, Semi-taut, Taut, Lazy-S configuration type, and Catenary mooring with the inclined seabed type, respectively. The present method predicted the stress distributions along the mooring line where the upper end was excited by a typical wave frequency motion and the other end was anchored to the seabed. And the experimental and numerical results of five typical mooring configurations were compared to the results calculated from the present method. A good agreement was drawn from the comparative study of both quasi-static and dynamic mooring responses. The validation of the present method is helpful for further investigating the effects of the fluid loads, the mooring geometrical, and material nonlinearity on the real-time structural responses of mooring lines in service life. •A simulation technique was proposed for predicting the mooring stress response > Mooring forces was calculated in real-time using a user subroutine > Five common mooring configurations were prepared for investigating the reliability of the present method > The present method was validated by comparing the OrcaFlex and simulation results.