Numerical Modeling and Experimental Comparison of the Response of Elastically Connected Barges

This paper presents a numerical model for the investigation of some hydroelastic issues related to floating systems used for the transportation and installation of components of offshore platforms, e.g., topsides. The system consists of two symmetric barges, linked together by the carried structure to form a catamaran-like layout. The flexibility of the transported structure may allow for proper excitation of the float-over system under oblique wave conditions at certain wave lengths, both during transportation and installation phases. The developed numerical code, based on multi-body dynamics and linear potential theory regarding the calculation of hydrodynamic loads, allows for a robust and fast description of the flexible floating system dynamics, including also the effect of mooring-line dynamics in the time-domain. Comparison with experimental data from a previous experimental campaign [1] shows that, notwithstanding the simplifying assumptions in the numerical model development, the amplitude of the relative pitch rotation between the barges due to the system flexibility can be properly described with the present approach.