Design Analysis of Moored Floating Caisson System

Tacoma Narrows Constructors (TNC) are building a new suspension bridge in Tacoma, close to Seattle, Washington State, USA. The new bridge is being built just south of the existing bridge mounted on two caissons. The caissons are constructed on location after the shallow draft caissons are towed to site. During the construction sequence, the mooring system for each caisson consists of two sets of 16 mooring lines. The lower 16 lines are hooked-up after the shallow draft caisson is towed from the harbor and positioned at the site. The fairlead locations for these lines are kept constant throughout the construction process. The fairlead locations for the upper 16 lines (except three lines on the East Caisson) vary based on the caisson draft. The caissons are subject to a high current from the ebb and flood tide flow in the Narrows. The new caissons are in close proximity to the existing piers and the bottom topography at the site is varying. Therefore, considerable turbulence and vortex shedding is expected in the prevailing current, which will cause current-induced dynamic forces on the caissons. This paper describes the design and analysis of this multiline mooring system for Tacoma Narrows Bridge caissons, based on the construction sequence in the floating condition. The analysis involved optimizing the anchor locations and the line pretensions, determining the dynamic motions of the caissons, the maximum line loads, and the corresponding safety factors. The paper also describes the hydrodynamic analysis for added mass, and damping, the methodology used for the nonlinear moored caisson analysis (MOTSIM), and the validation of the design tool with other similar models (e.g., $STRUCAD*3D$⁠). The results of the analysis and the design of the system are discussed.