Mooring Design & Dynamics—a Matlab® package for designing and analyzing oceanographic moorings

Abstract

Mooring Design and Dynamics is a set of Matlab® routines that can be used to assist in the design and configuration of single point oceanographic moorings, the evaluation of mooring tension and shape under the influence of wind and currents, and the simulation of mooring component positions when forced by time-dependent currents. The static model will predict the tension and tilt at each mooring component, including the anchor, for which the safe mass will be evaluated in terms of the vertical and horizontal tensions. Predictions can be saved to facilitate mooring motion correction. Time-dependent currents can be entered to predict the dynamic response of the mooring. The package includes a preliminary database of standard mooring components which can be selected from pull down menus. The database can be edited and expanded to include user specific components, frequently used fasteners/wires etc., or unique oceanographic instruments. Once designed and tested, a draft of the mooring components can be plotted and a list of components, including fasteners can be printed.