Fatigue Analysis of

Offshore Structures
Rod Pinna
Platform, Pipeline and
Subsea Technology 415
Miners Rule
Answer is the Palmgren-Miner linear cumulative
fatigue damage hypothesis (Miners Rule)
A problem:
Fatigue data (S-N curves) are based on
constant amplitude fatigue tests
But engineering structures experience random
loading
So, how do we work out fatigue life?
Miners Rule
...
3
3
2
2
1
1
D
N
n
N
n
N
n
N
n
i
i
= + + + =

Damage
ratio
Damage Ratio represents percentage
of theoretical fatigue life under a given
loading regime
If D<1, no failure
If D>1, failure
Can be a way of introducing a fatigue
safety factor (e.g. D = 0.5 FoS = 2)
Miners Rule
...
3
3
2
2
1
1
D
N
n
N
n
N
n
N
n
i
i
= + + + =

Damage
ratio
Miners Rule
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
Mi ner' s Sum
F
r
e
q
u
e
n
c
y

o
f

O
c
c
u
r
r
e
n
c
e
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Corresponding lognormal distribution
Comparison between calculation and
observed results (from tests)
But note
the scatter
About right
on average
Deterministic Time Domain
Spectral Frequency Domain
Types of Fatigue
Analysis
Steps:
1. Identify all phenomena which contribute to
fatigue
2. Translate phenomena into loads on
structural members
3. Translate member loads into local stresses
4. Choose appropriate S-N curve
5. Carry out Damage calculation using Miners
Rule
6. Compare with design life accounting for
Factors of Safety
Deterministic Fatigue
Analysis
1. Identify Phenomena which cause
fluctuating loads could be due to:
Construction, Transportation, Live Loads,
Environmental (Wave, Wind, Current)
Remember fatigue is a cumulative
process
Identify Phenomena
For a specific period For a specific direction
Wave Occurrence Table
2. Translate phenomena into member loads:
Hydrodynamic/structural analysis
Need loads for different wave positions
Member Loads
Structural Dynamics may be important to
include (e.g. by using DAFs)
Member Loads
3. Translate member loads into local stresses
Hot Spot Stress Range
Local Stresses
Hot Spot Stresses do
not include localised
stress increase due to
weld profile
Local Stresses via
Analysis/Testing
Parametric equations for Hot Spot
SCFs (see Appendix A of notes)
Note: These equations use nominal
stress (nominal axial stress or
maximum (outer fibre) bending stress
i.e. NOT just geometric stress
concentration factors
Local Stresses via
Parametric Eqns
Combination of
Parametric equations
at mid-points
Local Stresses via
Parametric Eqns
( ) ( ) ( )( ) | |
( )( ) | |
( )( ) | |
op opS
ip ipC
ax axS axC axS
SCF
SCF
SCF SCF SCF HSS
cos
sin
90
+
+
+ =
1
5
3
7
2 4
8
6
S-N Curves
4. Choose appropriate S-N curves
(API, UK Department of Energy)
Use consistent approach
Environment free corrosion or
cathodic protection
Equation form:
) ( log ) ( log ) ( log
10 1 10 10 B
S m K N =
( )
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
q
B
B
t t
S
m K N
10 1 10 10
log ) ( log ) ( log
For
Thickness
effect
Also beware
of dual slope
S-N Curves !
5. Carry out Damage calculation using
Miners Rule
Damage Calculation
...
3
3
2
2
1
1
D
N
n
N
n
N
n
N
n
i
i
= + + + =

6. Compare with design life accounting

for Factors of Safety
e.g. API RP2A says fatigue life must
be at least twice design life, so D<0.5
NPD approach: Design factor depends
on joint criticality and accessibility for
inspection
Design Factors of Safety
Frequency domain calculation
Spectral Fatigue Analysis
Energy Spectrum
Energy in Each
Frequency Band
Note Units !

) (
2
2
1
A
=
i
i
a
S
If one component of excitation is:
Then response at same frequency is:
Spectral Fatigue Analysis
Transfer Function
) cos( ) (
i i i
t a t x | =
( ) ) ( T ) ( t x t y =
The Transfer Function also relates the excitation
spectrum and the response spectrum
Spectral Fatigue
Response
e.g.
Hot spot
stress range
( ) ) ( T ) (
2
x y
S S =
Excitation
Spectral Fatigue
Spectral Fatigue Damage:
where T is time period in seconds
m
0
and m
2
are zero and second order
moments of response spectrum
m and K describe S-N curve
I is the gamma function
|
.
|

\
|
+
I =
2
2 ) m 8 (
m
m
D
2
0
0
2
m
K
T
m
See notes for
more detail
Deterministic vs.
Spectral ?
Spectral Fatigue Analysis can account
more completely for dynamics through
transfer function
BUT assumes a linear relationship
between wave height and stress range
(OK for large jackets but may be not OK
for shallow water structures)
Deterministic AND
Spectral
Commonplace to carry out calc for 8
locations on brace and chord for wave
heights over 8 directions
Computationally Intensive !
Despite the convenience of software
a sound understanding of the
fundamentals of fatigue is essential
Questions
?