Enhancement of Performance of Semi-Submersible Behaviour on Heave Motion by Adding Heave Plates

This paper presents the results from a study on the enhancement of the heave performance of a semi-submersible in deepwater by adding heave plates. Heave motion Response Amplitude Operators (RAO) of a conventional semi-submersibles is first obtained through the construction of transfer functions and validated in the current study. The effects of the heave plates in terms of elevation, sizes and shapes on the heave motion RAO are then presented and discussed. The study reveals that the elevation of the heave plates has a significant impact on the heave performance of the semi-submersible. Parameters such as sizes and shapes also affect the effectiveness of the heave plate as an additional mechanical damping devices. Based on these results, recommendations are then made on how to enhance the heave performance of the semi-submersible.