Mooring analysis for very large offshore aquaculture ocean plantation floating structure

Aquaculture activities are inherently undertaken at close proximity to the coastline and near to the shore. Mounting constraints and environmental impact concerns necessitate the development of offshore aquaculture. Challenges include achieving a reliable structural integrity and mooring system design for ultimate state limit, fatigue state limit and accidental and progressive state limit against environmental loading and accidental loading. To avoid mooring system failure, selecting an appropriate breaking strength and limit state for mooring system components is essential. The aim of the present investigation is to describe a mooring system design that accounts for forces and environmental loadings. An evaluation of optimum mooring performance in wave, wind and current loadings on mooring components anchor, buoy and riser elements, that are involved in the dynamics of a mooring system. It is also to generate discussion on the establishment of suitable safety factors and coefficients for the design of very large offshore aquaculture floating structures. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.