1.

1 Introduction OrcaFlex is a 3D systems modelling package developed primarily for of analysis the behavior of engineering systems in a marine environment. The program takes as input the mechanical, structural and other properties of the various component parts of the system, and calculates the static equilibrium configuration of the system, and its response to dynamic loading. Outputs include system geometry and forces and moments throughout the system. The OrcaFlex model is fully 3 - dimensional, and is capable of dealing with arbitrarily large changes in system geometry. OrcaFlex is used in the offshore and ocean engineering industries for analysis of a wide range of system. Example include, but are not limited to: Tensioned marine risers Steel catenary risers Flexible risers and umbilicals Hybrid riser systems Drilling risers Aquaculture moorings Pipelay Buoy systems Bundle dynamics

OrcaFlex can handle multi-line systems, floating lines dynamic after release, clashing between line, and many other aspects of system behaviour. Static analysis is quick and robust, and for most systems a solution is obtained immediately. For very complex system, typically involve multiple connections between lines, special facilities are provided for user intervention to guide the software toward the solution. For dynamic analysis, the user has a choice of Explicit or implicit time integration schemes, either of which can easily be used a single model. The implicit scheme is applicable for the majority of dynamic analysis, but Explicit scheme is more efficient for system with high frequency discrete event (eg, severe impact and line compresion). Results include animated replay of dynamic simulations, plus full graphical and numerical presentations. OrcaFlex comes fully equipped with automation facilities built into Excel for ease of use and efficiency. These facilities maximise project QA and traceability where many file variants are required, and allow very efficient re-runs. 1.12 Elements of an OrcaFlex system Model To analysis a marine system using Orcaflex, we first build a mathematical model of the real-world system, using the various modeling facilities provided by OrcaFlex. The model consists of the marine environment to which the system is subjected, plus a variable number of object chosen by the user, placed in the environment and connected together as required. The object represent the structures being analysed and the environment determines the current, wave excitation, etc. to which the object are subjected. The following types of object are available in OrcaFlex. (Detailed descriptions of each type of object are given in the program document .)

1.Vessels
are used to model ships, floating platforms, barges etc. they are rigid bodies whose motion can be: Prescribed by user specified Displacement Response Amplitude operators (RAOs) for each of the 6 degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw ). Calculated from Load RAOs for each of the 6 degrees of freedom. Prescribed with a user specified time varying forward speed and rate of turn . special facilities are also provide for mooring analysis. Imposed from user define time history motion files, which are readily imported.

1. Lines
are used to represent flexible hoses, steel pipes, cables, mooring lines and other long slender objects. Line properties may vary along the length, so that a single line may be used to represent a chain/wire/chain mooring cable or a marine riser incorporating a buoyant section. Line ends may be fixed or free, or attach to other object such as vessel or buoys, and ends can be disconnected in the course of a simulation. Line are represented in OrcaFlex by a lumped mass finite element model. The mass, volume and hydrodynamic properties of the associated length of line are assigned to a node, and a series of spring and dampes are define to represent the axial,bending and torsional stiffness and associated damping properties. Each line can also have a number of clumps attach. Clumps are point element attached to lines at userspecified locations, and provide a convenient way of modeling items such as floats, clump weight, or drag chains.

1. 3D Buoys are simple point bodies with just 3 translational degrees freedom (surge, way and heave) The motion of the buoys are calculated by OrcaFlex. 3D buoys do not rotate and are intended only for modeling objects which are small enough for rotations to be unimportant. They have mass volume, hydrodynamic and contact properties. 1. 6D Buoys are rigid bodies with all 6 degree freedom of (translation in, and rotation about, each of these axes). OrcaFlex calculate the motion of each 6D Buoys by summing all the force acting on it, calculating the acceleration vector, and integrating in the time domain. Several different data input formats are provided for convenience in modeling different sort of marine object, but basically have mass, volume, hydrodynamic and contact properties. Despite the names ,3D Buoys and 6D Buoys do not need to be buoyant in the ordinary sense of the word.Resulting weight and buoyancy forces are determine fron the input data. 2.Links are mass-less springs linking two other objects in the model.two types are available:Tethers are simple linear springs,spring/dampers are combined(linear or non-linear) spring + dampers units. 3.Winches. Are also mass-less connections linking two or more objects in the model.the connection is by a winch wire,which is fed from and controlled by a winch dive mounted on the first object.the winch drive can be operated in either constant sped mode,in which it pays out or hauls in the winch wire at a user-specified rate,or else in tension mode,in which it applies a user-specified tension to the winch wire.

1Shapes-areof two types Solids are linear elastic objects which apply a reaction foce to any other object which penetrates them.they are used to represent surface such as the side of a ship or a guide tube which constrain the movements of the physical system. Several different elementary shapes are available and a number of solidw may be placed together to build up more complex compound shapes. solids may be fixed in space or attached to other objects such as vessels. 1.Environment. The marine environment model include : Seabed:represented as an elastic surface,usually a plane(not necessaily horizontal),or a 2D or 3D surface profile can be modelled if required. Current:can have a library of current profiles,each with magnitude and rotation varying with depth.

Waves:can use multiple wave trains. wave model available include a linea(sinusodal)wave,several non-linear regular waves,a number of wave spectra fo modelling random seas.
Wind:can be constant,spectral or time history files can be used if necessary.

1 connections between Elements Of these various object types, the lines, link and winches have the special property that they can be used to connect other objects. Assembling the system model consists of creating objects and then connecting them together using lines, link and winches as required. There is no practical limit on the number of object in the model in reality the only limit is the memory and other resource available on the computer being used. Similarly, there are no built-in limit to the number of lines, links or winches that are more attach to an object. As a result very complex system can be modelled, though of course the more complex the more model longer the analysis takes. 1 free Bodies Of the object which can go together to make up an OrcaFlex model, 3D and 6D buoys are free bodies, meaning that their motions are calculated by OrcaFlex according to the forces which act on them. Depending on how you model them, Vessels are either free (using load RAOs ) or have prescribed motion (displacement RAOs). Links, winches and solids all define forces but have no inertia of their own and therefore cannot be free bodies. Lines fom an important special case.each line is divided for modelling purposes into a series of lumped mass elements or nodes with connecting springs to represent the stiffness.each node is then treated as a free body either 6degrees of freedom if tosional stiffness is included, or 3degrees of freedom if not.

1.16. Static Analysis There are two objective for a static analysis: a.To determine the equilibrium configuration of the system under weight, buoyancy and hydrodynamic drag loading b.To provide a starting configuration for dynamic simulation.

In most cases, the static equilibrium configuration is the best starting point for dynamic simulation and the two objectives become one. There are two types of static analysis available in OrcaFlex: Whole System Static (WSS) and Separate Buoy and Line Static (SBLS). For the vast majority of cases the WWS approach is the best method and this is the default option. Occasionally. It is useful to be able to use the SBLS method. 1.17 Dynamic Analysis At the start of the time simulation, the initial positions and orientation of all objects in the model, including all nodes in all lines, are known from the static analysis. The force and moment acting on each free body and node are then calculated. Force and moment considered include: Weight Buoyancy Hydrodynamic drag and added mass Tension and shear Bending and torque Contact forces Force applied by links and winches The equation of motion is then formed for each node and freebody {M}.{x}={F} Where {M} is the mass matrix for the node or body, including added mass terms, {x} is the acceleration vector, and {F} is the total force vector. The equation is solved for the acceleration vecto which is then integrated. At the end of each timestep,the positions and orientations of all nodes and free bodies are again known and the process is repeated.

1.18. Pre-and Post-Processing

The OrcaFlex Graphical user Interface (GUI) is a common method of using OrcaFlex. However, when significant number of load cases and/or parametric studies need to be performed, simple using the GUI can time consuming and error prone. To this end OrcaFlex offers a huge capability for pre-and post-processing, using the OrcaFlex spreadsheet. Typically this process might be:

a.use the GUI to set up a base-case OrcaFlex data file. Spend time doing QA on the entered data. b.Use the OrcaFlex Script table sheet to call up the base-case data file and identity and generate the loadcase/ parametric variant OrcaFlex data files. c.Use the OrcaFlex batch processing capability, to process all the above. d.Return to the OrcaFlex spread sheet, and use the instruction wizard to set up the instructions necessary to interrogate the simulation files resulting from the above to extract the result of interest.

1.20. Contract & Clashing

Fully integral within orcaFlex is the ability to determine the clearances between OrcaFlex Line objects present in the model. If selected by the user, the program will also include the effect of clash forces generated when lines touch