Altair Case Studies ProteusDS: A Dynamic Analysis Software for Complex Marine Operations
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ProteusDS: A Dynamic Analysis Software for Complex Marine Operations

Altair
Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Equipment & Machinery
Renewable Energy
Maintenance
Product Research & Development
Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
Virtual Training
System Integration
Training
The case study presents four distinct challenges faced by different sectors of the marine industry. The first challenge was to design mooring systems, considering the tension in the mooring lines, the movement of the floater, anchor capacity, and interactions of lines with the seabed. The second challenge was to equip ROV pilots training with simulation software and real-time data about structure, cable, and umbilical tensions. The third challenge was to efficiently assess the motion/response of tidal energy platforms in complex wind, wave, current, and loading, and ensure the design is maintainable. The last challenge was to determine the effect of strong tidal currents acting on cable and barge during cable lay operations and determine the operational impacts of having to lay cable after a slack tide.
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The customers in this case study are diverse, ranging from marine engineers designing mooring systems, ROV pilots in training, engineers assessing the dynamics of floating tidal energy platforms, to those involved in cable lay operations. These customers operate in complex and challenging marine environments where they need to consider various factors such as line types, environmental loading effects, and the large number of possible layouts. They require sophisticated tools and software to simulate and predict various scenarios to optimize their operations and reduce risks.
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ProteusDS, a dynamic analysis software by DSA, was used to address these challenges. For the mooring analysis, ProteusDS features a cubic-spline lumped mass cable model that is used for modeling mooring lines. The model can be used to simulate a variety of flexible structures. The ProteusDS hydrodynamic modeling capabilities are designed to assess wave, current, and wind loading on floating structures which are coupled with a mooring system. For the ROV pilots training, ProteusDS was integrated with GRI’s VROV to create a 3D interactive real-time simulation software. For the tidal energy platforms, a numerical model was developed to predict the platform motion and loading. Lastly, for the cable lay operations, a numerical model in ProteusDS was developed to simulate the effects of current, wind, and waves on the barge and cable.
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The use of ProteusDS has resulted in significant operational benefits. For mooring analysis, it has enabled accurate resolution of slack line and snap load events, and time-domain analysis of mooring arrangements taking into account the effects of the wind, current, and wave loading. For ROV pilot training, it has reduced the risk of operation by allowing the project team to test their plans before anything goes in the ocean. For tidal energy platforms, it has allowed for extremely quick iteration for designs/optimization and reduced risk for full-scale deployment. Lastly, for cable lay operations, it has enabled the generation of alternative deployment plans based on simulation data.
ProteusDS allows users to simulate hundreds of scenarios in a shortened time period, saving time and money.
Longer elements for a given mooring line can lead to substantial increases in simulation execution speed due to larger allowable numerical time steps and fewer calculations per line.
The ProteusDS + VROV partnership is a cost-effective opportunity for subsea trainees to gain operational familiarity while greatly reducing the risk to personnel and active ROV equipment.
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