Sr. Winterstein et al., DESIGN SEASTATES FOR EXTREME RESPONSE OF JACKUP STRUCTURES, Journal of offshore mechanics and Arctic engineering, 120(2), 1998, pp. 103-108
The extreme response of a jackup structure is studied We consider how
design seastate histories cart be introduced to reduce the cost of tim
e-domain response analysis. We first identify critical wave characteri
stics for extreme response prediction. In quasi-static cases, the maxi
mum wave crest height, eta(max), is shown to best explain extreme deck
sway. For more flexible structures we introduce a new wave characteri
stic, S-D, based on response spectral concepts from earthquake enginee
ring. Finally, we show how accurate response estimates can require few
er time-domain analyses, provided design seastates are pre-selected to
ensure that eta(max) or S-D is near its average value. With respect t
o standard Monte-Carlo simulation, these design seastates achieve at l
east a 50-percent reduction in response variability and hence at least
a fourfold savings in needed simulation cost. These results may lend
insight, not only into time-domain simulation, but also into more fund
amental questions of jackup behavior. They also suggest that, at least
in quasi-static cases, still simpler design wave methods based on eta
(max) may suffice. We illustrate and evaluate some such design wave me
thods here (e.g., the ''new wave'' model and others based on Slepian t
heory).