Investigation on hydrodynamic performance of a two-module semi-submersible offshore platform

ABSTRACT

A new type of two-module semi-submersible offshore platform has been designed as an offshore floating base for scientific research and environment measurement. The platform consists of two identical configuration semi-submersible modules which are connected with hinge-like connectors. Experimental and numerical studies in both frequency and time domain were carried out to investigate the coupled behaviour of the two connected semi-submersibles with the emphasis on the motion responses of the two modules. A series of wave basin model tests for a single module and two connected modules have been conducted, and the measured data were compared with the corresponding numerical simulations which showed a good agreement. It is found that the connectors have an obvious influence on the rotational motions of the two-module platform, but little effect on the translational motions, and the present fully coupled time domain simulation model can accurately predict the hydrodynamic performance of the two-module platform.

KEYWORDS:

• Two-module offshore test platform
• semi-submersible
• hydrodynamic performance
• model tests
• numerical simulation

Acknowledgements

The study presented in this paper is part of a research project financially supported by the High-tech Ship Research Projects Sponsored by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (2016[22], 2019[357]). The authors thank Zhanhua ZHAO for his help on the model test and data processing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study presented in this paper is part of a research project financially supported by the High-tech Ship Research Projects Sponsored by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (2016[22], 2019[357]).