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Marineinsight - Understanding Offshore Lifting Operations and Engineering Analysis
Marineinsight - Understanding Offshore Lifting Operations and Engineering Analysis
We will address these challenges and will explain in detail, how to tackle these problems.
For example, a process module to be installed on FPSO. Let’s assume the weight of the
module is about 1000 Tonnes.
Let’s consider the weight of the module is about 1000 Tonnes. The most basic
requirement is the lifting crane supposed to be of a capacity higher than 1000 tonnes (As
per norms, crane safe working load to be at least 1.25 times the weight of the equipment).
Let us discuss how the load of the module is transferred to the crane. Load of the
equipment is transferred to the crane through the lifting pad eyes, spreader beams, lifting
wires, shackles etc. (In general, these are called as lifting gears). Hence all the lifting
gears involved in the load transfer must be able to withstand the load imposed during the
lifting operation. To analyse whether a lifting gear can withstand a given load, we must
first estimate the load imposed on the lifting gear.
In the above lifting arrangements, the 1000 tonne module is lifted using 4-pad eyes.
Hence each pad eye is subjected to a load of 250 tonnes. The sling wires transfer the
load to the lifting beam. There are four wires used, hence each wire is subjected to 250
tonnes (For time being we will ignore effects due to sling angle). The sling wire transfers
the load to the lifting beam. In this case, the lifting beam is subjected to 1000 tonnes
(Note: the two pad eyes that transfer the load is subjected to 500 tonnes each).
SLING GEOMETRY
In the above load assessment, we assumed the sling angle to be 90 degrees. In reality,
it is not 90 degree. The point of suspension of the equipment should always be in line
with the centre of gravity of the equipment to avoid tilting of the equipment.
HOW LOADING CHANGES WITH SLING ANGLE?
Loading changes drastically with the sling angle. Following tables depicts the comparison
of loading at 900, 600, 300.
Each sling is subject to a load Applying resolution of forces Applying resolution of forces
load/sin(60). load/sin(60).
= 577
From the above table, we can understand how loads can drastically increase with the
reduction in sling angles. Sling angle factors are critical in load assessment. Following
Sling angle factors are given in ANSI B30.9.
LIFTING BEAM
-In figure 3, the lifting arrangement was depicted without the use of lifting beam. Usage
of lifting beam helps to reduce the sling angle and thereby load on the sling.
From the above figure, it is evident how sling angle is increased using spreader beam
(Ø>Q).
Bending and Buckling strength of the beam has to be assessed and proven they are
within the requirement.
BENDING STRENGTH
Where s is Bending stress, M is the Maximum bending moment, while “I” is the second
moment of area and y is the distance from the neutral axis.
As per class, s evaluated should not be greater than 0.6 * yield strength of the
spreader beam material.
Note that in the above evaluation, the weight of the beam is ignored.
BUCKLING STRENGTH
F1H and F2H are potential forces to buckle the beam. Buckling check can be done by
evaluating the Euler critical load. If the subjected load is greater than the Euler critical
load then the beam will buckle.
Euler critical load P is given by : π2EI/(KL)2
Where E is the young’s modulus of the beam material, I is the Moment of Inertia , K is
effective length factor and L is the unsupported length.
Below figure can be used to find out the effective length factor (K).
Figure 9: Effect length factor – K
In addition to the buckling check, compressive stress due to the forces F1H, F2H must
be less than 0.6* yield strength of the material.
PAD EYE STRESS ANALYSIS
FORCE ANALYIS
SHEAR STRESS
Shear stresses are to be less than 0.4 times the yield stress.
BEARING STRESS
Bearing stress is the contact pressure onto a body. It is given by Design load/bearing
area.
Bearing stresses are to be less than 0.9 times the yield stress.
BENDING STRESS
As seen earlier, Using Euler being equation we can find Bending stress s = M * I/y
Where s is Bending stress, M is the Maximum bending moment, while “I” is the second
moment of area and y is the distance fro the neutral axis.
Bending stresses are to be less than 0.6 times the yield stress.
NOTE: Pad eye bore has to be compatible to the lifting shackle. For example, 20
Tonnes pad eye bore diameter should be large enough for a 20 Tonne shackle pin.
EQUIVALENT STRESS
As we have seen earlier the loading on the pad eyes are multiaxial, hence there is a
combination of shear and bending. Vonmisses stress gives an equivalent stress that can
be used to assess the strength in multiaxial loading condition.
DYNAMIC EFFECTS
Offshore lifting is dynamic in nature due to the ocean waves, currents, wind forces etc. It
is important to include the dynamic effects into the calculation as these can significantly
influence the results.
Relative motion between the crane tip (carrying the object to be lifted) and the waves
should be established. The time period of crane tip motion can be formulated as follows:
where
m = mass of hoisting line per unit length [kg/m]
θ = adjustment factor taking into account the effect of the mass of hoisting line and
possible soft springs.
The Crane tip motion period is compared with the significant wave period and ensured
both are not close to causing resonance.
All the formulae we saw earlier in this article did not account for dynamic effects. They
are good to use in a static condition (still water condition). Lifting in dynamic conditions
requires slight modification to the formula. All the equation has to be multiplied by a factor
called dynamic amplification factor.
Various classification societies have given recommended DAF for various scenarios
which can be used in the calculations. DAF can also be established from model testing.
Bumper and guides are positioned in such a way to prevent the lifting object (for example
module) to strike against any other structure or object during the lifting operation.
Load on the crane ( and lifting gears) lifting a submerged object can be evaluated by the
following equation:
F(static) = Mg – ρVg.
CONTINGENCY PLANS
The article gives a brief summary of offshore lifting. In addition to the topics covered (Sling
geometry, Sling wire analysis, Lifting beam analysis, Pad eye analysis and Dynamic
effects during lifting) in the article, mooring analysis, motion analysis does play a critical
role in offshore lifting analysis. These topics are profound, hence will be dealt separately
in a different article.