Three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction case study on cubical fluid cavity with flexible bottom

In this paper, we report our study on a numerical fluid-structure interaction problem originally presented by Mok et al.(2001) in two dimensions and later studied in three dimensions by Valdés Vazquez(2007), Lombardi(2012), and Trimarchi(2012). We focus on a 3D test case in which we evaluated the sensitivity of several input parameters on the fluid and structural results. In particular, this analysis provides a starting point from which we can look deeper into specific aspects of these simulations and analyze more realistic cases, e.g., in sails design. In this study, using the commercial software ADINATM, we addressed a well-known unsteadiness problem comprising a square box representing the fluid domain with a flexible bottom modeled with structural shell elements. We compared data from previously published work whose authors used the same numerical approach, i.e., a partitioned approach coupling a finite volume solver(for the fluid domain) and a finite element solver(for the solid domain). Specifically, we established several benchmarks and made comparisons with respect to fluid and solid meshes, structural element types, and structural damping, as well as solution algorithms. Moreover, we compared our method with a monolithic finite element solution method. Our comparisons of new and old results provide an outline of best practices for such simulations.     

Evaluating air emission inventories and indicators from cruise vessels at ports

This paper provides an estimation of air emissions (CO₂, NO_X, SO_X and PM) released by cruise vessels at the port level. The methodology is based on the “full bottom-up” approach and starts by evaluating the fuel consumed by each vessel on the basis of its individual port activities (manoeuvring, berthing and hoteling). The Port of Barcelona was selected as the site at which to perform the analysis, in which 125 calls of 30 cruise vessels were monitored. Real-time data from the automatic identification system (AIS), factor emissions from engine certificates and vessel characteristics from IHS Sea-web database were also collected for the analysis. The research findings show that the most appropriate indicators are inventory emissions per “port-time gross tonnage”, “port-time passenger” and “port time”. These emission indicators improve our understanding of cruise emissions and will facilitate the work that aims to estimate reliably and quickly the in-port ship emission inventories of cruise ports.     

Shared pilot passage plan and navigational safety during pilotage

Navigating in confined waters with a pilot aboard requires that the pilot’s intention and plan is understood by all present on the bridge. The present study investigates the effect of having a detailed route plan and monitoring it in the context of pilotage. The aim was to see how the presence of a shared pilot passage plan in the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) affects the identification and recovery from navigational errors made by a pilot. Twenty participants, 10 with a shared route plan and 10 without, participated as navigators in a simulator scenario involving pilotage in the Oslofjord. Participants were bachelor students in nautical science. The navigation scenarios involved the intentional error by the pilot just before a predefined way point. Three measurements of relevance to navigational safety were recorded: (1) the time it took the participant to express concern, (2) the time it took the participant to correct the error (‘time to recovery’), and (3) the number of groundings. The study revealed that time to express concern and time to recovery were significantly much shorter for the group with a shared pilot passage plan presented in ECDIS than for the group without such a plan. Providing a bridge team with a shared pilot passage plan in ECDIS during pilotage might improve the ability to identify and correct navigational errors.     

Response-based analysis for Tension Leg Platform

The typical industry practice for Tension Leg Platform (TLP) design focuses on a conventional short-term design recipe, which assumes that an N-year design environment leads to an N-year response. In the response-based design method, the TLP is designed to withstand N-year responses rather than respond to N-year environmental conditions. In this paper, we present an overview and a general procedure for the response-based design method and use a case study to compare the critical TLP responses between the two methods. The results of our comparison show that the conventional short-term design method often contains an element of conservatism and that the response-based design method can reduce the design conditions and thereby achieve cost savings.     

Response spectrum method for extreme wave loading with higher order components of drag force

Response spectra of fixed offshore structures impacted by extreme waves are investigated based on the higher order components of the nonlinear drag force. In this way, steel jacket platforms are simplified as a mass attached to a light cantilever cylinder and their corresponding deformation response spectra are estimated by utilizing a generalized single degree of freedom system. Based on the wave data recorded in the Persian Gulf region, extreme wave loading conditions corresponding to different return periods are exerted on the offshore structures. Accordingly, the effect of the higher order components of the drag force is considered and compared to the linearized state for different sea surface levels. When the fundamental period of the offshore structure is about one third of the main period of wave loading, the results indicate the linearized drag term is not capable of achieving a reliable deformation response spectrum.     

南海某FPSO STP单点系泊系统的再评估

本文针对一艘中国南海北部服役的STP(Submerged Turret Production)内转塔单点FPSO在极端环境条件下单点静密封失效问题进行了分析。STP浮筒静密封主要依靠浮筒上端液压大钳的预紧力、浮筒与舱壁的静摩擦力等来抵抗系泊系统的载荷,从而保证浮筒与船体舱壁的紧密贴合。本文进行了新旧百年一遇环境条件作用下系泊系统载荷评估分析,比较结果可以发现：在新的百年一遇条件作用下,单点系泊系统的最大系泊缆张力增加31%,相应地系泊系统作用在锚链盘的平面载荷增加33%,垂向载荷增加12%。进一步地进行了新环境条件下两百年一遇极端环境作用下的系泊系统响应分析,比较结果可以发现：两百年一遇环境条件作用下,平台平面位移、系泊缆最大张力以及系泊载荷均出现了不同程度的增加,此时系泊缆已不能满足系泊系统完整状态的安全系数要求。分析结果表明：该FPSO的STP静密封系统在新的环境条件下存在较大失效风险,有必要对液压锁紧装置进行优化和加强设计,浮筒与舱壁有必要重新进行结构强度评估。     

沿海港口煤炭专业化运输系统适应性探讨

结合全国煤炭生产消费及调运情况,分析北方煤炭下水港布局、后方铁路通道规划建设及煤炭下水趋势对专业化煤炭下水港未来发展的影响,研究南方煤炭接卸港码头布局、外贸进口煤炭和煤炭中转基地建设及接卸港发展趋势对接卸港布局及建设的影响,对全国沿海港口煤炭专业化运输系统分区域、分结构的适应性进行探讨,并提出问题及建议。     

基于"3S"的大型水上桥梁识别系统

目标识别长期以来一直是图像处理研究的热点之一,在军事和民事方面有重要的应用.文中基于大型桥梁的先验知识,研究了通过水域的纹理特征来检出水域的方法,再应用"3S集成技术",通过数字高程模型(DEM)检出桥梁域,从而提供了对大型水上桥梁识别的一种新方法.     

Numerical modeling of ground response during diaphragm wall construction

Construction of diaphragm wall panels may cause considerable stress changes in heavily overconsolidated soil deposits and can induce substantial ground movement. The 3D Lagrangian method was adopted to model the mechanical response of ground, including horizontal normal stress and shear stress, lateral ground displacement and vertical ground surface settlement, during the slurry trenching and concreting of diaphragm wall panels. Numerical results show that slurry trenching leads to horizontal stress relief of ground, reducing the horizontal stress of the ground from initial K0 pressure to hydrostatic betonite pressure. Wet concrete pressure lies between the hydrostatic bentonite pressure and the initial K0 pressure, so it can compensate partially the horizontal stress loss of the ground adjacent to the trench and thus reduce the lateral movement of the trench face as well as the vertical settlement of the ground surface.     

Timing sequence changes of landscape plants in Shanghai Area,China

Based on published reports and direct observation, the common resources of landscape plant species in the Shanghai area were identified and studied in terms of the landscape characteristics of timing sequence changes over a one year time period. The results showed that there were 199 common landscape plant species in Shanghai, distributed in 67 families and 129 genera. These plants were categorized by three ornamental characteristics: flowers, foliage and fruits. The species were thus further analyzed according to the time periods which these characteristics were present. The results showed that flower ornamental distributed throughout the year, particularly from April to June, and plant species with colorful foliage could be seen every month, and particularly in November and December. On the other hand, few plant species with fruit ornamentals were observed in Shanghai area. The diversity of landscape timing sequence changes of the 199 plant species under examination was then analyzed by using the Shannon-Weiner and Simpson index formulas. The results showed that the higher diversity was observed in January, February and from August to October, while the lowest diversity was recorded from March to July and during November and December. The diversity of landscape characteristics of these plants was ranked according to foliage, flowers and fruit. Using this method, one park and one plant community were selected to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of their time-changing plant landscape, with the goal of assessing the validity of the chosen ranking method. These results in the present study would be helpful to evaluate the plant landscape in a specified space and further enrich the diversity of plant and landscape by a target-oriented way.