17.06: Characterization of accidental scenarios for offshore structures

Abstract

Offshore structures are complex facilities whose malfunction can lead to serious impacts and losses, such as human lives, environmental disasters and the complete loss of the structure. Additionally, the cost associated to their construction and maintenance is very high, so it is crucial to keep them fully operational throughout their entire service life. Standby periods in offshore platforms generate large financial losses for their owners. The most devastating effects on offshore platforms are often the result of incidents which eventually lead to accidental actions. Hence it is very important to develop measures which limit the effects of accidental actions on the overall performance of these facilities. In this paper the most likely accidental scenarios and the strategies currently used to mitigate their devastating effects were analysed. Accidental scenarios were discussed based on the available historical data of incidents on offshore platforms, and classified according to the type of offshore platform or the type of structural elements affected. Furthermore, the most frequent hazards were used to introduce specific accidental actions which will then be the subject of a study for comparing the approaches proposed by different technical standards. The strategies currently used for mitigating the effect of accidental actions, both non-structural and structural, were classified according to the materials used and the structural typology adopted. The objective of this study was to identify new opportunities for the development of innovative mitigation strategies for the devastating effects associated to accidental actions in offshore platforms, considering the most recent developments in terms of innovative materials and of structural analysis approaches. In this context, this paper discusses the current trends in research and the future challenges related to this issue. This will serve to identify the possible methods for improvement of the existing structural mitigation measures.

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