ANSYS AQWA
for
Hydrodynamic
Analysis
Richard May
AQWA Development
ANSYS Horsham
© 2011
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What is AQWA?
• AQWA is a modularised, fully
integrated hydrodynamics analysis
suite based around 3-D
diffraction/radiation methods.
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History of AQWA
• Developed since 1971 (by WS Atkins)
• Owned and developed by Century Dynamics since
2001
• Century Dynamics acquired by ANSYS February 2005
• Now being integrated into the ANSYS Workbench
system
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Some Clients
Regulatory Bodies
• ABS (US)
• Lloyds Register (UK)
• Germanischer Lloyd
• China Ship Classification Society
• RINA (Italy)
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Some Clients
• US Navy • Friede & Goldman
• SBM Monaco • INTEC
• SBM Atlantia • Arup Energy
• Alion
• Allseas
• Atkins
• Dockwise
• AMOG
• Huismann Itrec • D2M
• VUYK • Moffatt & Nichol
• Technip • Noble Denton
• WorleyParsons • Han Padron
• GustoMSC • Krylov Institute
• REpower • VersaMarine
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ANSYS AQWA - Capabilities
• Diffraction and Radiation including Morison elements
• Frequency domain analysis
• Stability including mooring lines
• Time domain with irregular waves
• Time domain with non-linear survival waves
• Coupled cable dynamics
• Multiple hydrodynamic interaction and articulations (up to
50 structures)
• Transfer of motions and pressures to ANSYS FE models
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ANSYS AQWA - Applications
• Determination of RAOs
• Wave bending moments
• Splitting force calculations for semi-submersibles
• Design and analysis of mooring systems
• Time history of motions
• Determination of air gaps
• Calculation of shielding effects of ships and barriers
• Multiple-body interactions
• Coupled mooring line-structure interaction
• Cable dynamics with intermediate buoys
• TLP tether analysis
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Modelling in AQWA - elements
• Diffracting or non-
diffracting panels
• Morison elements
– TUBE
– STUB
– DISC
• Point masses
• Mixed models
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Modelling in AQWA - connections
• Moorings
– Linear springs
– Elastic catenaries
– Intermediate buoys
– Tethers
– Pulleys
• Fenders
• Articulations
• Stiffness matrix
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Modelling in AQWA - environment
• Waves • Wave Spectra
– Regular / irregular – Pierson-Moskowitz
– Time history – JONSWAP
– Gaussian
• Current – User-defined
– Uniform – Cross-swell
– Profile
• New for 14.0
• Wind – Multiple simultaneous spectra
– Uniform – Interaction between spectra
– Spectra from different directions
– Time history
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Radiation / Diffraction
• Multiple structures including
hydrodynamic interaction
• Hydrodynamic coefficients
(added mass and damping)
• RAOs
• Drift coefficients (Near / far field,
full QTF matrix)
• Shear Force / Bending Moment
• Splitting forces
• Pressure distribution for
transfer to FE
• New for v14.0
Video\Ship&Box.avi
– Linearised tube drag
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Load Transfer
• Calculation and transfer of hydrodynamic loads to ANSYS for
structural analysis
AQWA Pressure plot
Images courtesy of Vuyk ANSYS Pressure plot
Engineering Rotterdam
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Equilibrium and Stability
• Computes static
equilibrium position for
multiple environmental
and mooring
configurations
• Preliminary mooring
design
• Calculates static /
dynamic stability
• Video\Librium.avi
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Frequency Domain
• Significant motions at
low frequency and/or
wave frequency
• Permits rapid analysis
using linearised
parameters of mooring
systems
• Graphs for response
spectra / RAOs & other
parameters
• Wave spreading and
2D spectra
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Time-history
• Time-history analysis of
multiple structures with
regular or irregular waves
• Convolution of radiation
forces
• Can use full QTF matrix for
shallow water conditions
• Import of wave height time
history
• Input of forces via user-
defined dll
• Output of motions and
forces
• Graphical and animation
results
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Time-history animation
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Cable Dynamics
• Additional cost item for
more rigorous
simulation of mooring
line behaviour
• Provides full coupled
vessel/mooring line
analyses
• Included in all modules
except AQWA-LINE
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Excel interface
• AQWA specific functions add-in for Excel for
data and results retrieval, processing and
report generation
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Traditional Graphical Interface
• Automatic mesh generation
from lines plans
• Results presentation
• Graphical manipulation of
results
• Export to spreadsheet
• Function processing e.g.
Nodal RAOs
Fourier transforms
• Model checking
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Hydrodynamics in Workbench
• Hydrodynamic Diffraction and Hydrodynamic
Time Response represent an ANSYS
Workbench implementation of the ANSYS
AQWA hydrodynamic software
• Provides a common look and feel across the
ANSYS product suite
• Provides for future interoperability with other
physical models in the ANSYS product suite,
e.g., ANSYS Mechanical and ANSYS CFD
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The ANSYS Workbench
simulation process
ANSYS ANSYS
ANSYS
CAD Hydrodynamic Hydrodynamic
DesignModeler
Diffraction Time Response
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Hydrodynamics in Workbench
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Surface and Pressure Plots
• Animated Surface Plots
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Model definition
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Results Graphs
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Hydrodynamics in Workbench
• What it currently provides (Release 14.0):
– Import of geometry from ANSYS DesignModeler
– Interactive data modification and editing
– Native meshing
– Diffraction/radiation analysis
– Definition of moorings, fenders and joints
– Definition of environment
– Graph plotting
– Wave surface and pressure contour plots
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Key Differentiators
• Integrated (diffraction/radiation, time & frequency
domain, regular & irregular waves,)
• Full hydrodynamic interaction
• Ability to add .DLL with external forces (e.g. DP
system)
• Up to fifty connected structures
• Integration into ANSYS Workbench
• Modelling flexibility
• Coupled cable dynamics
• Proven over 30 years of use
• Ability to transfer pressures and motions to Finite
element analysis
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ANSYS AQWA
The end
Thank you
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