Calculation of the Gravity Fall Motion of a Mooring System
Abstract
Fast digital computational methods enable solution of the system of nonlinear partial differential equations describing the free fall motion of a mooring system. The problem is initially approached by a simplified model in which the distributed mass of the cable has been lumped in a series of discrete masses attached to a weightless line. Also, the more general mooring configuration analyzed in the report includes floats (for which the buoyancy is considered uniformly distributed and then re-distributed into lumped discrete negative weights), cables which can be either inextensible (steel) or elastic (synthetic line), and an anchor which is assumed of spherical shape. The simulation results are presented for several different specific cases, but in order to minimize the computational cost, most of the textual material is derived from the comprehensive analysis of a single relatively short mooring system. These results are extrapolated to apply to the 6500 foot Oceanic Telescope, which constituted the original purpose of the work (the problem was to investigate the feasibility of the free-fall of such a mooring).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0679901
Entities
People
- Michel R. Froidevaux
- Roger A. Scholten
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology