Session: 06-11-03 Ocean Engineering Technology III

Paper Number: 128405

128405 - Development of a Simulation Performance Laboratory for Assessing Dp and Mass Controllers in Complex Wave and Ice Environments 

Shipping and ocean energy harvesting activities in harsh and ice-rich waters are becoming increasingly common; analytical and numerical models, validated against full-scale and model testing results, are essential and key to developing new technologies and understanding issues posed by operating in such environments. This paper presents the development and initial validations of a simulation performance laboratory, SPLASH, for modelling and assessing high-fidelity, advanced controllers used to operate dynamic positioning (DP) platforms and marine autonomous surface ships (MASS) in highly complex wave, current and ice environments. The SPLASH has a modular architecture, with many components tied together by a central controller. All components have well-defined interfaces; data logging and visualization components communicate with the central controller via TCP and can be run on separate computers, reducing the computing load on the PC performing the essential simulation tasks. The core component is the numerical engine that models the floating system (e.g., a ship), with active propulsion and steering systems, and the complex environments, including current, wave and rigid-body ice pieces. The central controller can interface with external controllers to govern the movement of the floating system. The numerical engine has been validated using physical measurements of a generic drillship model in several broken ice conditions; it predicted thruster forces and motions that were comparable to those observed during model testing. In the current research, three case studies were carried out: the first aimed to model and validate a complex ice-structure interaction scenario involving nearly 20,000 ice pieces and a DP-controlled ship operating under various ice-field configurations; the second modelled a wave-ice-DP-ship interaction scenario; finally, the third involved modelling an ice-structure interaction scenario for a ship equipped with an externally connected advanced controller for DP/MASS operations. The preliminary results show promise in offering a platform for accurately and efficiently assessing advanced control systems for DP/MASS operations in complex ice-wave-current environments.

Presenting Author: Mohammed Islam National Research Council

Presenting Author Biography: TBD

Authors:

Mohammed Islam National Research Council
Wayne Pearson National Research Council, Canada
Robert Gash National Research Council, Canada
Jason Mills National Research Council, Canada