88299 - STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the students with the basic concepts for the structural design of offshore structures. After an extensive illustration of the main structural systems for fixed and floating offshore facilities, the focus will be given to the structural design of steel platforms. Relevant topics will include requirements and protocols for certification of steel for construction, criteria and approaches for the structural design of steel structures, including strength requirements, instability verification, design of connections, fatigue issues, requirements against seismic actions and exceptional loadings. The main goal is to make the students able to evaluate the mechanical behaviour of such structures, to develop the fundamental stages of the structural analysis and design process, including a proper choice of the construction materials.

Course contents

The course is mainly focused on the designing of off-shore steel structures.

The course will concerns the following main topics: main off-shore structures categories, outline on steel materials and protection techniques; production transportation and installation; definition of external loadings and setting of limit states combinations; design and check of steel tubular elements; design and check of steel tubular joints; equilibrium instability theory and instability checks; fatigue theory and verification; outline on dynamics of the structures; seismic design of jacket structures;

Readings/Bibliography

Textbooks:

• M. A. El-Reedy, Offshore Structures: Design, Construction and Maintenance, Elsevier, Inc., 2012.
• N. D. P. Barltrop and A. J. Adams, Dynamics of fixed marine structures, Thomson Litho Ltd., East Kilbride, Scotland, 3rd edition 1991.

Other readings:

• Marshall, P. W. (2013). Design of welded tubular connections: Basis and use of AWS code provisions (Vol. 37). Elsevier.

Teaching methods

In regular classes, problems concerning the modelling and the design of off-shore structures are discussed. Finally, details of nodes, connections, etc. will be shown and discussed. Guidelines for different structural problems reported in the international codes will be considered. Some classes will be devoted to show designs of some examples concerning the subjects of regular classes.

Assessment methods

Assessment will be given according to a midterm and final written tests and a possible oral colloquium. During the written tests the pratical skills of the student in solving exercises of design and verification will be checked. In the oral will be verified the personal preparation of the student and his knowledge on the main theoretical aspects of the course.

The oral tests are composed of two questions, and the assessment procedure will clarify if the student acquired a sufficient number of the predicted learning outcomes.

They aim to establish the knowledge and skills achieved by the student as well as to evaluate its technical language with reference to the topics discussed. Passing of the exam will be granted to students who demonstrate mastery and operational capacity in relation to the key-concepts discussed in the course showing, in particular, that the student learned the basic theoretical concepts and is able to argue in a comprehensive manner and in autonomous way the various steps leading to the definition of the main results. The higher scores will be awarded to students who demonstrate to understand with breadth of content and appropriate language, the subjects taught and, further, will show to be able to apply all the teaching content in operating autonomy even for the most complex cases. Failure to pass the exam will be due instead to insufficient knowledge of the key-concepts, failure to properly master technical language, or it can be due to low operational autonomy shown in the performance of the tests.

Teaching tools

Blackboard, slide presentations showed by videoprojector during classes.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Palermo