Abstract

Since the 1950’s, several different types of offshore structure have been designed, fabricated, installed and operated. Each type of structure needs to achieve a balance between affordability and performance. This balance is particularly important for structures that are not abandoned when a storm arrives. Codes of practice were introduced to capture the decisions made by the designers to model the capacity of the structure and the loads imposed on it. For some designs, the robustness of the structure needed to increase. This was because “on-location” exposure to storms resulted in “failures”, ranging from minor local damage to total loss.

A successful design requires an appreciation of several different aspects of engineering; strength, stability, fatigue, workability & probability. This seminar on offshore structural engineering will use a number of examples to illustrate lessons learned by the industry and outline the challenges ahead.