Wind-Load Analysis of a Floating Structure with Different Levels of Geometric Resolution Using OpenFOAM

Abstract

Wind loads acting on an offshore floating structure are important for the global performance analysis and mooring design. In early design stages, detailed topside geometry may not be fully available; therefore, a wind-load analysis should be performed using simplified geometries. This study investigates the effect of geometric resolution on the wind loads acting on an FPSO using OpenFOAM. A grid sensitivity study was conducted, and the numerical setup was validated against experimental and existing CFD results. Wind-load simulations were then performed using high-, mid-, and low-resolution FPSO geometries. The results show that the mid-resolution geometry, in which pipelines and small topside equipment are removed, showed relative L2 differences of 2.70%, 3.02%, and 7.78% from the high-resolution geometry for CFx, CFy, and CMz, respectively.