Since 1993, Shell has been an active participant in a joint industry/government sponsored project (JIP) to develop the TOPCAT computer program. Initially, the program's intended use was to quickly estimate the ultimate lateral load capacity of steel template-type offshore platforms subjected to wind, wave, and current forces. As the development of the program matured and the scope of the project expanded, a variety of applications became obvious, far exceeding initial expectations. The purpose of this paper is to describe how TOPCAT has been utilized and a vision of potential future uses for this software.
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