Static Analysis of Deep Water Mooring Lines using Elastic Rod Model

Abstract

This paper describes the static analysis of deep water mooring lines by a three-dimensional elastic rod model, which involves a position vector used to locate the equilibrium position of mooring lines. The governing differential equations are obtained from the resultant forces, resultant moments and the strain of the centerline in the tangential direction with inextensibility condition. The Galerkin finite element method together with the Newton-Rapson’s iterative process was used to obtain numerical results of the nonlinear static problem. The applied static forces on the mooring lines such as the current velocity, hydrostatic force, buoyancy force and self-weight affecting the equilibrium configuration of mooring line are presented and discussed. The results of this study are compared with those from the previous research works and they are found to be in a very good agreement.