Motion and Tether Force Prediction for a TLP

This paper deals with a comparison between computed and measured motions and thether forces for a deep‐water tension leg platform. The computations are compared with model experiments which have been conducted in both regular and irregular waves in the Seakeeping Laboratory of the Netherlands Ship Model Basin. Attention is paid to prediction of second harmonic components of tether forces in regular waves and to the computation, in the time domain, of combined wave frequency and low frequency motions and tether forces in irregular seas. The time domain computations have been performed using, as input, the wave record measured in the basin. The comparison of computations and model tests results allows identification of the major cause of high frequency tether force fluctuations and demonstrates the applicability of the convolution integral method in time domain analysis of low frequency tension leg platform motions.