Experimental and numerical investigation a semi-submersible moored by hybrid mooring systems

The performance of two hybrid mooring systems applied on a semi-submersible are studied experimentally and numerically. Single mooring model calibration tests were carried out first to check static tension-displacement characteristics and the experimental results were in good agreement with target values. Afterwards, the generated wave in wave basin and mooring system model were carefully calibrated and the measured results matched well with numerical values. Finally, irregular model tests, which aims to measure the dynamics of semi-submersible and mooring system in one hundred year sea state in South China Sea, were conducted. The experimental results considered Beam Sea, Heading Sea and Quarter Sea states, the waves were simulated in the wave basin by JONSWAP spectrum. The concerned motion responses of semi-submersible and mooring tensions were recorded and compared with fully coupled dynamic analysis results.