Three-dimensional pushover analysis of a jack-up platform

Abstract

Jack-ups, as the name indicates, are self-elevating units consisting of a floatable hull and, usually, three truss work or circular legs. As a mobile structure, jack-ups are mainly utilised for oil and gas exploration and maintenance purposes in shallow to medium water (up to 120 meters), though they have recently seen application in the construction of offshore wind energy infrastructure. The use of the finite element method for structural analyses of jack-ups is a common practice. However, most jack-up models remain elastic with the yielding of structural members or even the soil around the spudcan not accounted for. This paper describes the development of a comprehensive and integrated el..