Extending a time/frequency domain hybrid method for riser fatigue analysis

Fully coupled time domain analysis of a floating system is rigorous but time-consuming, thus an efficient hybrid method was developed in a prior work. The method simulates the coupled slow-drift responses in the time domain and analyzes the wave-frequency dynamics in the frequency domain. The hybrid method was shown to compare well with time domain analysis in predicting the mean-square vessel motions and line tensions. In this paper, the hybrid method is extended for the fatigue analysis of moorings and risers. The fatigue damage thus calculated is found to closely agree with the result from time domain analysis in conjunction with rainflow counting. Several spectral fatigue techniques are also compared, and these methods are significantly less accurate, thus attesting to the complexity of the problem. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.