Open Access

ARTICLE

The Effect of Key Design Parameters on the Global Performance of Submerged Floating Tunnel under Target Wave and Earthquake Excitations

Chungkuk Jin^*, MooHyun Kim

Department of Ocean Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

* Corresponding Author: Chungkuk Jin. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computer-Aided Structural Integrity and Safety Assessment)

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2021, 128(1), 315-337. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2021.016494

Received 10 March 2021; Accepted 08 May 2021; Issue published 28 June 2021

Abstract

This study presents a practical design strategy for a large-size Submerged Floating Tunnel (SFT) under different target environments through global-performance simulations. A coupled time-domain simulation model for SFT is established to check hydro-elastic behaviors under the design random wave and earthquake excitations. The tunnel and mooring lines are modeled with a finite-element line model based on a series of lumped masses connected by axial, bending, and torsional springs, and thus the dynamic/structural deformability of the entire SFT is fully considered. The dummy-connection-mass method and constraint boundary conditions are employed to connect the tunnel and mooring lines in a convenient manner. Wave- and earthquake-induced hydrodynamic forces are evaluated by the Morison equation at instantaneous node positions. Several wave and earthquake conditions are selected to evaluate its global performance and sensitivity at different system parameters. Different Buoyancy-Weight Ratios (BWRs), submergence depths, and tunnel lengths (and mooring intervals) are chosen to establish a design strategy for reducing the maximum mooring tension. Both static and dynamic tensions are critical to find an acceptable design depending on the given target environmental condition. BWR plays a crucial role in preventing snap loading, and the corresponding static tension is a primary factor if the environmental condition is mild. The tunnel length can significantly be extended by reducing BWR when environmental force is not that substantial. Dynamic tension becomes important in harsh environmental conditions, for which high BWR and short mooring interval are required. It is underscored that the wet natural frequencies with mooring are located away from the spectral peaks of design waves or earthquakes.

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