Evaluation of Various Predictive Methods for Determining OTEC SKSS Environmental Loads. Revision A, Report No. 79-049-004A

摘要

The NOAA Office of Engineering is presently managing two contracts for the preliminary design of the OTEC stationkeeping system. Results presented by the contractors thus far (draft report stage in conceptual design) indicate significant differences in the predicted environmental loads. The discrepancies were caused by the use of different prediction methods and variations in the description of the environment. In order to reconcile these discrepancies, a review, comparison, and assessment of the mooring system load prediction methods used by SKSS contractors was presented in Giannotti and Associates, Inc., Report Nos. 78-049-001, 002, and 003. A search for existing model test results and full scale experiments were conducted in an effort to compare results. The present report documents a study on the state of technology for the prediction of environmental loads in general and drift force loads in particular. The outcome of this study should provide: (1) a consistent approach to be taken by SKSS contractors; (2) levels of confidence to be associated with the predicted loads; and (3) a set of recommendations to be used by NOAA to increase confidence in the OTEC SKSS designs and to reduce the risk attributed to those designs. (ERA citation 05:027144)