A Numerical Simulation of Non-Linear Air-Gap for Deepwater Semi-Submersible Platform

Air gap is pivotal to the hydrodynamic performance for the semi-submersible platform as a key characteristic for the strength assessment and safety evaluation. Considering the metocean conditions of the Norse Sea, the hydrodynamic performance of a semi-submersible platform has been analyzed. Based on the three-dimensional potential flow theory, and combined with the full QTF matrix and the second-order difference frequency loads, the nonlinear motion characteristics and the prediction for air gap have been simulated. The wave frequency motion response, the second-order nonlinear air gap response and nonlinear motion response of the platform have been analyzed. By comparing the simulation results, the air gap response of the platform considering the nonlinear motion is more intense than the results simulated by the first-order motion without considering the second-order difference frequency loads. Under the heavy metocean conditions, for the heave and pitch motion of the platform, the non-linear simulation values for some air gap points and areas are negative which means the wave slam has been occurred, but the calculation results of linear motion response indicate that the air gap above has not appeared the wave slamming areas. The simulation results present that the influence of the second-order wave loads is a critical part in the air gap prediction for the semi-submersible platform.