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This Technical Note describes how to define automatic wave loads. The
automatic wave load is a special type of load case. It generates loads on the
structure resulting from waves, current flow, buoyancy and wind.
1. Click the Define menu > Load Cases command to open the Define
Loads form, as shown in Figure 1.
2. Type in the load name (e.g., W1), type (i.e., WAVE), and self-weight
multiplier (e.g., 0) and select an Auto Lateral Load (i.e., API WSD2000).
3. Click the Add New Load button to add the W1 wave load case definition
to the DEAD load case definition or click the Modify Load button to
replace the DEAD load case definition with the W1 wave load case
definition.
The Wave Load form shown in Figure 3 appears. Use the Wave Load form
and its associated sub-forms to define the various wave load parameters,
including:
For example, while defining a wave load case named W1, you may define
three Current Profiles named CUR1, CUR2 and CUR3. Only one of those
Current Profiles can be assigned to wave load case W1. (A parameter is
available for assignment when its name appears in one of the drop-down
boxes in the Wave Load Parameters area of the Wave Load form.) Next
suppose you define a second wave load case named W2. Any one of the three
previously defined Current Profiles (CUR1, CUR2 and CUR3) is available for
assignment to wave load case W2.
The wave characteristics, marine growth, drag and inertia coefficient and
wave wind load parameters behave similarly.
Wave Characteristics
Define a wave characteristic as follows:
1. With the Wave Load form displayed (see Figure 3), click the Add or
Modify/Show button associated with the Wave Characteristics item to
display the Wave Characteristics form shown in Figure 4.
3. Enter the wave kinematics factor in the Wave Factors area of the Wave
Characteristics form. The wave kinematics factor accounts for wave
directional spreading and irregularity in the wave profile shape that is not
typically accounted for in two-dimensional wave kinematics. Typical wave
kinematics factors range from 0.85 to 1.
4. Enter the storm water depth. Storm depth is the depth measured from the
storm water level to the mud line. The specified storm water depth is
added to the specified mud line elevation to obtain the storm water level.
5. In the Wave Type area of the form, choose the method for determining
the wave water particle velocities and accelerations:
a. From Selected Wave Theory. Select the From Selected Wave Theory
option. Then,
i. Define the wave height and the wave period in the Wave Data area
of the form. The wave height is distance from the wave trough to
the top of the wave. The distance from the storm water level to the
top of the wave is equal to half the wave height. The wave period
is the period of the wave as seen by a stationary observer.
ii. Select the wave theory to be used to calculate the wave water
particle velocities and accelerations in the Wave Theory area of the
Wave Characteristics form.
ii. After you have entered the number of horizontal points and
pressed the Enter key on your keyboard, or clicked in another text
box on the form, the number of rows in the grid in the Horizontal
Coordinates and Surface Elevation area of the form changes to
match the specified number of horizontal points. Similarly after you
have entered the number of vertical points, the number of rows in
the grid in the Vertical Coordinates area of the form changes to
match the specified number of vertical points. This is illustrated in
Figure 6.
iii. Fill in the horizontal grid line locations and the wave surface
elevation (measured from the vertical reference datum) at each
horizontal grid line in the Horizontal Coordinates and Surface
iv. Fill in the vertical grid line locations (relative to the vertical
reference datum) in the Vertical Coordinates area of the Wave
Characteristics form. The vertical grid locations should start at the
top of the wave and proceed in descending order to the mud line
elevation. The vertical grid lines are typically more closely spaced
near the top of the wave.
vi. Fill in the Horiz Wave Vel (Horizontal Wave Velocity), Horiz Wave
Acc (Horizontal Wave Acceleration), Vert Wave Vel (Vertical Wave
Velocity), Vert Wave Acc (Vertical Wave Acceleration) and Pressure
columns.
The Display Options area of the User Wave Data form allows you to
display subsets of the data at specified vertical or horizontal grid
locations. For example, Figure 8 shows data for the horizontal grid
at 123.3543.
Figure 8: User Wave Data Form Showing Data for Horizontal Grid at 123.3543
When entering data in the grid, enter zero if the considered point
lies above the wave surface. The one exception to this rule is when
the wave surface does not lie exactly at a specified grid vertical
elevation. In that case, the velocities and accelerations at the wave
surface are input at the point that lies immediately above the wave
For example, for the data shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the surface
elevation at the horizontal grid at 123.3543 is 11.4805. The data
specified in row 4 of the grid in Figure 8 applies at the surface
elevation of 11.4805, not the grid line elevation of 15.
Note that you cannot print or export the tabular data shown in the User
Wave Data form. However, this same data is available in the Model
Definition Tables and can be printed, exported or displayed from there.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, display the definition to be deleted in
the drop-down box.
Note that there must always be one wave characteristic parameter defined;
thus, you cannot delete the last one.
Current Profile
A Current Profile defines the velocity and direction of the current as a function
of depth (from storm water level to the mud line elevation). By default, a
wave load is specified to have no current profile.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed (see Figure 3), click the Add or
Modify button associated with the Current Profile item to display the
Current Profile Data form shown in Figure 9.
2. Enter the current blockage factor in the Current Profile Factors area of the
form. The current blockage factor accounts for the reduction in current
speed at the offshore platform that occurs because the platform causes
the current flow to diverge. Typical current blockage factors range from
0.7 to 1.
3. Select the Current Profile Stretching Option. Two methods are provided to
stretch (or compress) the current to the wave surface level at a given
horizontal location. These methods are Linear and Nonlinear (see “Current
Profile” in Calculation of Wave Load Values).
4. Input the number of vertical elevations at which the current profile data is
specified in the Data Is Specified at This Number of Elevations area of the
form. After you have entered the number of vertical elevations and
pressed the Enter key on your keyboard, or clicked in another text box on
the form, the number of rows in the grid in the Current Profile Data area
of the form will change to match the specified number of vertical
elevations.
5. Input the vertical elevation (measured from the datum), the current
velocity and the current direction at each data point. The current direction
is input as an angle in degrees measured counterclockwise from the
positive global X axis. Enter the data in descending vertical elevation
order. If necessary, click the Order Rows button to reorder the data in
correct manner. Also note that the program will automatically order the
data in descending vertical elevation order when you click the OK button
to close the form.
If the top specified elevation is below the storm water level, the program
assumes that the current profile data at the storm water level is the same
as the data specified at the top specified elevation. Similarly, if the bottom
specified elevation is above the mud line, the program assumes that the
current profile data at the mud line is the same as the data specified at
the bottom specified elevation.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, display the definition to be deleted in
the drop-down box.
Marine Growth
The marine growth thickness on the structure is specified as a function of
depth. By default a wave load is specified to have no marine growth.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed (see Figure 3), click the Add or
Modify button associated with the Marine Growth item to access the
Marine Growth Data form shown in Figure 10.
2. Input the number of vertical elevations at which the marine growth data is
specified in the Data Is Specified at This Number of Elevations area of the
Marine Growth Data form. After you have entered the number of vertical
elevations and pressed the Enter key on your keyboard, or clicked in
another text box on the form, the number of rows in the grid in the Marine
Growth Data area of the form will change to match the specified number
of vertical elevations.
3. Input the vertical elevation (measured from the datum) and marine
growth thickness at each data point in descending vertical elevation order.
If necessary, click the Order Rows button to reorder them in the correct
manner. Note that the program will automatically reorder the data when
you click the OK button to close the form.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, display the definition to be deleted in
the drop-down box.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, click the Add or Modify button
associated with the Drag and Inertia Coefficients item (see Figure 3) to
access the Drag and Inertia Coefficients form shown in Figure 11.
2. Input the number of vertical elevations at which the drag and inertia
coefficient data is specified in the Data Is Specified at This Number of
Elevations area of the form. After you have entered the number of vertical
elevations and pressed the Enter key on your keyboard, or clicked in
another text box on the form, the number of rows in the grid in the Drag
and Inertia Coefficient Data area of the form will change to match the
specified number of vertical elevations.
3. Input the vertical elevation (measured from the datum) and drag and
inertia coefficients at each data point in descending vertical elevation
order. If necessary click the Order Rows button to reorder the data in
this manner. Note that the program will automatically reorder the data in
descending vertical elevation order when you click the OK button to close
the form.
The drag and inertia coefficient values used at a particular vertical elevation
are linearly interpolated from the specified data.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, display the definition to be deleted in
the drop-down box.
The values for the API Default drag and inertia coefficients depend on
whether the location considered is above or below the specified high tide
elevation as shown in the following table.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, click the Add or Modify button
associated with the Wind item (see Figure 3) to access the Wave Wind
Load form shown in Figure 12.
In the Wind Load Parameters area of the Wave Wind Load form,
2. Specify the wind direction angle. The wind direction angle is input as an
angle in degrees measured counterclockwise from the positive global X
axis.
3. Specify the one-hour mean wind speed at 32.8 feet (10 meters).
4. Specify the averaging time period. The averaging time period, t, is in the
range 0 < t ≤ 3600 seconds.
5. Specify the mass density of air and the typical shape coefficient. The
typical shape coefficient applies to all objects in the model unless the wind
load shape coefficient for that object has been overwritten in the wave
overwrites.
1. With the Wave Load form displayed, display the definition to be deleted in
the drop-down box.
b. Uncheck the checkbox if you do not want to include buoyant loads in the
wave load case.
Specified initial
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a) Initial Wave Crest Position (Plan View) b) Considered Positions of Wave When a Total of
Four Wave Crest Positions are Considered
Structure
Mud line
The distance from one wave crest to the next wave crest is equal to the wave
length, identified as WL in Figure 13. When four wave crest positions are
considered, the wave length is broken into quarters and the four positions
considered are as shown in Figure 13b. The first position considered is at the
specified initial wave crest position. The second position considered is one
quarter the wave length away from the initial position measured in the
direction of the wave. The third position considered is one half the wave
length away from the initial position, and the fourth position is three quarters
the wave length away from the initial position.
More generally, when n wave length positions are considered, the distance
from the specified initial wave crest position to the nth wave crest position is
given by:
(n − 1) WL
d=
n
In the previous equation, d is the distance from the specified initial wave crest
position to the nth wave crest position and WL is the wave length.
Wave Direction
1. Specify the wave approach angle in degrees in the Wave Direction area of
the Wave Load form (see Figure 3). The wave direction angle is input as
an angle in degrees measured counterclockwise from the positive global X
axis.
location can be selected. One convenient location for the datum is at the
storm water level.
2. Specify the Mudline from Datum to locate the mud line with respect to
the vertical reference datum. No wave loads are applied below the mud
line.
3. Specify the High Tide from Datum to locate the high tide with respect to
the vertical reference datum. The high tide elevation is used when
determining the default drag and inertia coefficients. See the previous
subsection entitled “Drag and Inertia Coefficients” for more information.
Water Properties
1. Specify the water properties in the Sea Water Properties area of the Wave
Load form (see Figure 3). The water properties consist of the water weight
density. This is the unit weight of the water in Force/Length3 units.