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As a part of the Norwegian Deepwater Program (NDP) three drilling risers have been instrumented with accelerometers and rotation-rate meters for measurement of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV). In addition, current was measured at number of depths. The paper describes how the riser displacements were derived from the measurements and compared with the current. A major task has been to rid the acceleration measurements of the influence of gravity due to the riser's rotations out of the vertical and include the measurements of angular motion in a consistent way. This has been done using modal decomposition and a least-squares method to estimate the modal weights. The main purpose of the work was to provide data for calibration of computer programs for prediction of VIV. Examples of results are given.

Line breakage events have been experienced on moored structures during recent years. These are often occurring in heavy weather and overload is one of the reasons pointed out. The present paper identifies posible physical phenomena that may lead to wave forces higher than predicted by state-of-the-art hydrodynamic tools and procedures, and thereby higher mooring line loads, in high and steep waves. In particular, a need to re-explore wave-group induced slowly varying, low-frequency (LF) drift forces has been identified. Both mobile offshore units (MODU's) and permanently moored floaters are considered, semisubmersibles and FPSOs. Empirical corrections are sometimes being applied in design of mooring lines, while not in general, and there is no established common industry practice on such corrections. More advanced tools and knowledge do exist in research communities, while they still need further development for robust engineering use. A brief overview is given of state-of-the-art methods and tools in modelling of the hydrodynamic forces on large-volume floaters, with particular focus on slowly varying wave forces. Full scale experiences from real sea events and from a variety of earlier case studies including model tests are reviewed. It is found that several items may be critical in the proper prediction of LF wave forces in high seas and combined current and should be investigated further, in particular: –Wave-current interaction–Viscous wave drift forces–Large and nonlinear wave-frequency vessel motions. Based upon these preliminary investigations, the paper gives recommendations for actions and further developments for improved predictions in industry practice.

In simulation of 1st-order wave-induced motion of vessels it is sometimes necessary to express frequency-dependent added mass and damping in time-domain formulation. One way to do this is to transform the frequency dependence into retardation functions. During simulation these are convolved with the velocity history, which is time-consuming and impractical. To get a more efficient model a method for expressing the retardation function as a linear differential equation has been developed. The method calculates the coefficients of the differential equation from the damping function only, avoiding the uncertain added mass function.

This paper describes a new model for prediction of fatigue damage from VIV in risers. The method will overcome some of the shortcomings of previous methods. A fully 3D model is proposed, “cross-flow” and “in-line” response are predicted, response at higher order harmonic components will be added, and the stochastic nature of the response is accounted for by introducing a time varying envelope function combined with “time sharing” between dominating response frequencies. A model that reflects this behaviour is considered to be more realistic and is more likely to predict lower fatigue damage than the traditional discrete-frequency models. The model will predict a response that will appear as a combination of standing and travelling waves depending on boundary conditions, damping and load distribution. Fatigue damage will therefore become more evenly distributed along the riser, and less concentrated at anti-nodes for (dominating modes) than seen from traditional discrete frequency models. The proposed model needs empirical coefficients for simultaneous IL and CF response. In principle this requires a data base of added mass, excitation and damping coefficients for varying flow conditions and response frequencies, combinations of response amplitudes in both directions, varying phase between the two response components and even the presence of higher order motion components. Such data do not exist. We have therefore proposed to use the limited information we have on this matter at present. Future improvement of the model might therefore be possible if more data becomes available. The new model will be implemented in the VIVANA program and the enhancement of the code is in progress. The paper will present the background of the model, the basic assumption of the new model and a comparison between preliminary results obtained from a preliminary code and model test results. The cases include both 2D uniform current conditions and 3D (non-uniform) current conditions.