Probability models for offshore structural response due to Morison wave loading Part I: Drag-only response

Offshore structures are exposed to random wave loading in the ocean environment and hence the probability distribution of their response to wave loading is a minimum requirement for efficient probabilistic analysis of these structures. Due to nonlinearity of Morison wave loading and also due to intermittency of wave loading on members in the splash zone, the response is often non-Gaussian. Analysis of simulated data has, however, shown that neither of the two probability models proposed in the literature can accurately predict the tails of the response distribution. New probability models are therefore required to overcome this deficiency. This paper is composed of two parts: Part I is devoted to the development and validation of a new probability model for drag-only responses (i.e. responses due to the drag component of Morison wave loading), while Part II is devoted to the development and validation of new probability models for both inertia-only and total responses.