Mooring Line Catenary with Buoy

Description

This application can be used to calculate the Catenary of a Mooring line with 5 segments and comprising Buoys

• It uses an advanced form of the Catenary equation with the right boundary conditions to calculate the shape and tensions for the catenary.
• The catenary form is used for moorings in offshore applications and also for architecture development like bridges and arches(inverse catenary)
• The application calculates the catenary profile and the tension in a multi-segmented line. It can simulate a free hanging catenary line or a line anchored to the ground. 5 segments with different properties can be defined along with a Buoy at each segment end (except the last segment) which basically adds an additional upward force at that end.
• The application solves for the catenary profile and tensions by solving for the below parameters,
  a) Length of line on ground (if Ground Active)
  b) Horizontal Tension at Anchor
  c) Vertical tensions at each segment start
  d) Net force (=0) at segment end due to line tensions and Buoy upward force”Steps:
  1. Input Anchor & Fairlead co-ordinates
  2. Input line properties. Make sure the units are correct for the input values.
  3. Check/Uncheck “”Ground Active”” as required.
  4. Click on Solve (Make sure the Solver add in is added. If there are any error please check if the solver is added in the VB Project references. Help links provided at the end.)
  5. Check Results”
  Limitations
  The tool solves only for static case. Catenary calculated is only affected by the weight of the defined segments and no external loads from the environment is included.
  If the fairlead is too close or too far to the anchor the solution may not converge.
  For offshore Mooring lines, the buoy is assumed to submerged all the times, even if it floats above the fairlead.
  Last segment cannot have a buoy as the fairlead is assumed to have fixed constraints.