Jørn Birknes: Prediction of wave-in-deck loads

Recent efforts to investigate a possible increased lifetime of old platforms have brought attention to some challenging hydrodynamic problems. Due to higher extreme waves and subsidence of seabed some of these platforms have become vulnerable to wave crests hitting the deck of the platform. Higher estimates of extreme wave crests may be due to better understanding of non-linear wave effects as well as including the uncertainty related to possible climate change effects. Due to complexity of deck geometry, CFD has been found necessary to predict wave impact loads. Numerical procedures to estimate extreme wave crests, obtain corresponding fluid particle kinematics and calculate impact loads will be presented.

Jørn Birknes is scientist at Det Norske Veritas