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 B2 1

Figure 1: Offshore platform.

Figure B2 2
Figure 2: Bullwinkle platform - 430 m of water depth.

Figure B2 3
Figure 3: Steel skeleton of Bullwinkle platform - 430 m of water depth.

Figure B2 4
Figure 4: Tubular beam-column collapse (no pressure).

Figure B2 5
Figure 5: Tubular beam-column collapse (under pressure).

Figure B2 6
Figure 6: Drawing of offshore compliant tower.

Figure B2 7
Figure 7: Drawing of offshore compliant tower.

Figure B2 8
Figure 8: MARS offshore compliant tower.

Figure B2 9
Figure 9: Balpate offshore compliant tower (580 m of water depth).