Time Domain Modeling of ROV Umbilical using Beam Equations

This paper presents a finite element model for representing the cable dynamics of a typical ROV(Remotely Operated Vehicle) umbilical. The goal is to produce a model able to capture the most important dynamic effects of the umbilical affecting the ROV by solving the Euler-Bernoulli beam equations using finite element method. The model is general and is applicable to a wide variety of deep-sea ROV systems. The presented model is demonstrated by numerical examples for umbilical and ROV systems, both for steady state and dynamic response. The model is further validated by comparison with published results.