Deepwater Semisubmersible Motion Simulation

Moored semisubmersible buoys are proposed as ocean facilities for Navy ranges. In deep water (depths near 6,000 feet), these small, moored platform systems have large scale nonlinear motions which are neither platform dominated nor mooring dominated. Techniques are available to simulate the motions of both large semisubmersibles and small oceanographic buoys. Techniques are not available to simulate the complex motion of medium-size, deep water ocean platform systems. This paper presents details about activities at NCEL for developing technology for small deepwater semisubmersible motion simulation. Specific activities include developing a numerical simulation package, performing an at-sea motion measurement experiment for validation data, and conducting various related studies.