In 1998 and 1999 two bend stiffeners made of polyurethane failed while operating at monobuoy IMODCO-III, due to fatigue. This paper shows the fatigue analysis performed on the stiffeners of the FPSO P-34, which are of the same design as those that failed previously. The work started with the experimental determination of the dynamic stiffness of the material, necessary as input for the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the stiffener that followed. The fatigue behavior of the material was also experimentally appraised. In parallel with the laboratory work, dynamic deformation data was acquired from the operating stiffeners, in offshore. All the information gathered was used to calculate the remaining fatigue life of the P-34 stiffeners.
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