Experimental and Numerical Study on Docking Operations of a Transportation Vessel for Float-over Installation

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of docking operation in a float-over installation by using both experiments and numerical calculations. It is assumed that a host structure is a fixed jacket platform, and a deck transportation vessel carried an integrated topside module to be mating with the jacket structure. In the docking operation, the transportation vessel should enter into the jacket slot safely with the help of fenders, mooring, and tether lines. To experimentally evaluate the performance of the docking operation, a series of model tests were carried out at ocean engineering basin of the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering. During the model test, vessel motion, line tensions, and fender forces were directly measured, and various irregular wave conditions were considered in both head and beam seas. To validate the experimental data, numerical simulations were performed using a nonlinear time-domain simulation method that is based on general floating-body dynamics for the transportation vessel and generalized spring-damper model for connectors. Through the analysis of the results, the motion responses of the transportation vessel are discussed in relation to the line tension and fender reaction forces. Especially with regard to beam sea conditions, the effects of fender gap and docking configuration are further investigated by using the numerical simulations.