STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF CONNECTING ELEMENT OF OFFSHORE STRUCTURE IN A TOWING SITUATION
In this paper, the structural safety of floating pendulum wave energy converter (FPWEC) during towing from shipyard to the sea area where it is planned to be installed is investigated. Data regarding the ocean environment such as tide, wind, significant wave height, etc. along the expected route were collected and analyzed to secure safe towing. The data were reviewed and used to estimate the external forces exerting on the FPWEC during the towing operation. Using those data, environmental loads such as tidal and wind loads were calculated according to the KR (Korea Register) Rule of floating offshore structures. ANSYS system was used for the structural analysis of the FPWEC which is subject to complex environmental load to confirm the safe operation during sea towing. In several load cases based on the data, the connecting element of FPWEC was found to be safe.
towing, structural safety of the vessel, wave and wind load, tidal current, finite element analysis.