Stability of Tubes Under External Pressure and Structural Loads
Sponsor:
Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas, USA
Partners:
The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Objective:
The research aimed at investigating the ultimate capacity of ring-stiffened tubular members, candidates for deep offshore applications (600 - 1000 meters, compliant towers). A nonlinear finite element computer program was developed for predicting the ultimate load under combined-load conditions (bending, axial compression, external pressure).
Principal Investigator:
Prof. John L. Tassoulas, The University of Texas at Austin
Participant:
Spyros A. Karamanos, Graduate Research Assistant
Duration:
24 months (1991 - 1993)
Figures:
Figure 1: Offshore platform.
Figure 2: Bullwinkle platform - 430 m of water depth.
Figure 3: Steel skeleton of Bullwinkle platform - 430 m of water depth.
Figure 4: Tubular beam-column collapse (no pressure).
Figure 5: Tubular beam-column collapse (under pressure).
Figure 6: Drawing of offshore compliant tower.
Figure 7: Drawing of offshore compliant tower.
Figure 8: MARS offshore compliant tower.
Figure 9: Balpate offshore compliant tower (580 m of water depth).