Topology optimization tools applied to the design of anchor systems in offshore structures

Resumo

The design of anchor systems in offshore structures consists in three general steps: conceptual design,
sizing and analysis, and verification. In this work, the topology optimization is applied on the first step, as an
effort to support the design of new anchor lines topologies. There are demands on the oil and gas industry that
seek to minimize the anchor radius of a production unity, which is the horizontal projection of the line connecting
the platform and the anchor point, and to maximize the anchor pattern, which is the angle between the last anchor
line of a cluster and the first anchor line of the neighbor cluster, for example. Topology optimization formulations
can incorporate these demands in order to achieve better (more economic) solutions to be used in the conceptual
design of new production unities. In this work, we use a discrete topology optimization formulation with multiple
load cases and box constraints with a cable constitutive model. Results show that our approach has the potential of
producing innovative topologies unlocking the creativity of the designer and new conceptual designs.