A Review of Mooring Analysis Methodologies for Permanent Offshore Installations

Traditionally mooring line strength assessment is based on a deterministic approach, where the mooring system is evaluated for a design environment defined by a return period. The mooring system response is then checked against the mooring strength to ensure a required factor of safety. Some codes adopt a deterministic approach [1], [2], [3]. Other codes like [4] adopt a partial safety factor format where uncertainties are addressed through load factors for load components and material factors for line strength. Industry practices give guidance on mooring analysis methodology together with analysis options like coupled, de-coupled, time domain, frequency domain and the associated line tension safety factors. Prior work has demonstrated that discrepancies in mooring line tensions are observed when different analytical approaches are used [5]. Namely, the mooring line tensions of a semi-submersible unit in a coupled time domain analysis, were found to be non-compliant, whereas those calculated using a decoupled time domain analysis returned compliant tensions. This work focuses on a coupled dynamic analysis where all inertial, hydrodynamic and mechanical forces are assessed to determine the subsequent motions. Despite being considered the most accurate to capture the true dynamic response, a coupled analysis is also the least efficient in terms of the required computer resources and engineering effort [1]. This paper presents further discussion on the above observation in mooring tensions and also considers differences in the installation’s excursion. All responses are evaluated in the time domain where the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the mooring lines, slowly varying wave drift forces and coupling effects are captured. Agreement is found in the present computations, carried out with two renowned hydrodynamic codes, which validate former results and reiterate the need to distinguish between time domain methods and recommended appropriate safety factors accordingly.