TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR OF TOWED MARINE CABLES IN TWO DIMENSIONS

This paper presents a numerical solution for the transient motion of marine cables being towed from a cable ship which is changing speed. The cable ship is assumed to move rectilinearly, hence the cable configuration is two-dimensional. The solution methodology consists of dividing the cable into n straight elements with equilibrium relationships and geometric compatibility equations satisfied in each element. A system of n non-linear ordinary differential equations is derived from this and then solved by fourth- and fifth-order Runge-Kutta formulations with the dynamic axial tension calculated iteratively because it is itself dependent on the solution. Results are presented for the cable-top tension and element angles as functions of time and for transient cable geometries when the towing velocity is linearly or parabolically increased (or decreased). It is shown that the results from this analysis compare reasonable well with full-scale experimental data from Hopland (1993).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Applied Ocean Res, v 17 n 3, June 1995, p 143 [11 p, 14 ref, 2 tab, 11 fig]
• Authors:
  • Vaz, M A
  • Patel, M H
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cables; Motion; Numerical analysis; Transient analyzers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Transient response
• Old TRIS Terms: Cable laying
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00727940
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 4 1996 12:00AM