Environmental Load Effect Analysis of Guyed Towers

A general method for dynamic load effect analysis of slender offshore structures subjected to short crested random waves, current and wind, is given. The structure is represented by a three-dimensional space frame model utilizing dash-pots and linear or nonlinear spring elements to represent guy lines and coupling between structure and foundation. The component mode synthesis formulation is adopted for reduction of the number of degrees of freedom. The hydrodynamic forces are computed by Morison’s equation, accounting for finite wave elevation, directionality, and relative fluid-structure motion. Various kinematic models for the fluid field in the splashing zone are compared. To get a reasonable representation of nonlinearities in the loading and the structural model, a Monte Carlo approach is adopted. Starting with simulated samples of the random fluid field and wind forces, time series of structural responses are found by numerical time integration utilizing the Newmark β-family of time integration operators. Numerical results for a guyed tower at 450-m water depth are presented. The statistical uncertainties associated with the stochastic time domain simulations are discussed. A significant discrepancy is found between linearized frequency domain solutions and the present nonlinear time domain formulation. The importance of an adequate representation of superharmonic responses is particularly discussed. The differences in results due to various solution methods are found to vary significantly with sea-state conditions.