Overview
Posted by Mohd Fadly on Monday, March 15, 2010
Erm, before we can calculate any reliability index or probability of failure, the first step is to prepare our resistance side. Always remember that in structural engineering, we will always deal with RESISTANT and LOADING. If the resistant side is much more than loading, you can sleep tight and have a peaceful holiday, but if your loading is much more dominant compared to your resistant, your Principal Engineer might ask you to come to office on Sunday morning to redesign. Hahaha.. that's when you started to learn!!
Most of the time offshore structure is design according to codes and standards. Codes and standards give guidelines and best practices for engineers to design the structures in the correct way without compromising safety. Too much resistant might keep your structure safe for 1000 years, but it will definitely hit the project budget and you end up over designed the structures. Loading allowance too low might give operations people a hard time in processing the hydrocarbon product. Hence, an equilibrium between resistant and loading is very important in designing offshore structures. Usually, AISC code is used to design topside and API is used to design substructure (jacket).
In engineering practices within offshore industry, few software such as SACS (structural analysis computer software), SESAM (I can't remember the meaning but I used this a lot!! hahaha) and USFOS (again lost it in my brain) is used to model the structures. Each software has their own strength and weakness but if you are well trained and understand the purpose of each analysis, all this software will proven handy giving assistant in engineering decision.
Most of the time offshore structure is design according to codes and standards. Codes and standards give guidelines and best practices for engineers to design the structures in the correct way without compromising safety. Too much resistant might keep your structure safe for 1000 years, but it will definitely hit the project budget and you end up over designed the structures. Loading allowance too low might give operations people a hard time in processing the hydrocarbon product. Hence, an equilibrium between resistant and loading is very important in designing offshore structures. Usually, AISC code is used to design topside and API is used to design substructure (jacket).
In engineering practices within offshore industry, few software such as SACS (structural analysis computer software), SESAM (I can't remember the meaning but I used this a lot!! hahaha) and USFOS (again lost it in my brain) is used to model the structures. Each software has their own strength and weakness but if you are well trained and understand the purpose of each analysis, all this software will proven handy giving assistant in engineering decision.