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FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF RACK-PINION SYSTEM OF A JACK-UP RIG

Conference Paper · December 2019

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 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF RACK-PINION SYSTEM OF A
JACK-UP RIG
1
KHONDAKER SAKIL AHMED, 2MD WAHIDUL ISLAM, 3IBRIJU IBRAHIM
1,2,3
Department of Civil Engineering, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Bangladesh

Abstract - In offshore mobile jack-up rig, platforms are generally supported by movable jacking system where strength of rack
and pinion are very crucial in determining the design life of the superstructure. In this study, a number of finite element models
have been developed for noble 7 teeth-pinions to investigate the strength of this jacking system. Since rack-pinion contact
patterns change with the rotation of the shaft, models are developed for every 10 degree rotation starting from 0 to 50 degree
where elasto-plastic properties of both rack and pinion is considered. Therefore, it is expected that each pinion tooth
experiences different stress and displacement as it contacts with rack at different orientation. Elasto-plastic finite element
analyses are conducted for worst possible load cases of the gear including self-weight of the platform, wind load,
hydrodynamics force as per American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) guideline. The stress distribution of the pinion shows that
maximum stress occurs at the root of the tooth, mainly due to bending effect. The analysis reveals that maximum stress in rack
and pinion are found to be 1103 MPa and 682 MPa, respectively which is very close to the corresponding material capacity.
The outcome of this study will certainly contribute in designing future rack-pinion system for offshore jack-up rigs and similar
other structures.

Keywords - Rack-pinion, Finite element, Geometric Analysis, Stress Analysis.

I. INTRODUCTION tooth distance and rack valley depth standards [3, 4].
Based on the importance and their role in jack up rig,
Jack-up drilling rigs were first introduced in the late the rack pinion system should be investigated
1950s. Rack-and-pinion-type jack-up units were comprehensively. Many researcher have focused on
introduced soon after that and have dominated the the stress analysis of the gear system [1, 3-5]. This
industry ever since. Offshore jack-up platforms are study investigates a rack pinion system of real life
designed to operate at various locations with different offshore platform using elasto plastic Finite Element
sea-bed conditions, great water depths and various sea Analysis. After a recent failure of such system of an
conditions. Recently, offshore mobile jack-up rig has offshore platform, this study includes a detail stress
become a very popular subsea infrastructure for oil analysis of a proposed rack-pinion system before their
and gas exploration primarily because of its easy practical application.
installation, reapplication and excellent adaptability
to water depth [1]. The offshore industry has ventured II. GEOMETRIC ANALYSIS
into deeper waters and more severe sea conditions. As
a result, offshore platforms are experiencing severe Initially, 7 teeth pinion as well as rack geometry is
environment condition that leads to increased developed by using Excel spread sheet. The geometry
investigations about the safety of these offshore is then modelled in 3D Finite Element (FE) software.
structures. The jacking system of an offshore rig is Based on prescribed material properties and loading,
very important since the system is always subjected to FE analysis is conducted for every 10 degree interval
heavy load [2]. The rack and pinion of the system used (up to 50 degree) to obtain the maximum stress in rack
to raise and lower the rig which is a crucial and pinion. After successful completion of stress
responsibility for a mobile jack up rig. The entire analysis. The key dimensions for rack -pinion
stress transfer from pinion to rack involves the other geometry are
critical parameters such as gear pitch, pressure angle,

Parameters Values
Pressure angle 250
Pitch radius, r p 177.8 mm
Tooth distance 159.59 mm
Outside radius 218.995 mm
Rack valley depth 91.44 mm
Rack valley width 20.11 mm
Base radius, r b 161.142 mm
Table 1: Proposed geometric parameter

Proceedings of 271st The IIER International Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12th - 13th December, 2019
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 Finite Element Analysis of Rack-Pinion System of a Jack-up Rig

stress analysis of gear drive, among them finite

element method is more prominent and is widely used
for its high level of accuracy [5-7]. There are many
well established FEM software packages such as
Abaqus, ANSYS, and ADINA that are commonly
used in industries and research centers. In this
investigation, three dimensional Finite Element
models have been developed to simulate full scale
practical rack pinion system using Abaqus 6.14.1.
The prescribed mechanical properties of pinion
material that can be achieved through carbon
integration and post heat treatment are presented in
table.

Properties Values
Fig.1 Proposed Pinion geometry Ultimate tensile strength 180 ksi
Based on the dimensions stated on Table 1, the Yield Strength 155 ksi
geometric shape of the pinion is presented on Fig.1. Minimum elongation 16%
The drawing is corrected in fraction of millimeter Hardness (Brinell) 363-401 BHN
scale. The curvature, root of tooth and pressure angle Table-2: Mechanical Properties of pinion material
are corrected as prescribed to the geometric
requirement. During operation, the pinion will move IV. FE MODEL
over the rack where tooth will be subjected to different
contact orientation as presented on Fig.2. In this As presented on table 2, the parameters have been
geometry analysis, it is observed that the similar exactly used as proposed for the system with an
contact phenomenon will repeat after every 51.430 accuracy of 0.01mm (10 µm). Total number of teeth
rotation. In view of this occurrence, an interval of Z=7, thickness of the pinion = 165.1mm, rack
every 10 degree starting from 0 to 50 degree rotation thickness = 127mm and the mounting hole diameter =
that results a total six numbers of rack pinion 165.1mm. The rack profile is straight and the profile
orientation is presented on Fig.2. The geometry of the pinion is involute as presented on the geometry
analysis also confirms that both single and double analysis. In the process of 3D finite element model,
contact can be occurred in the process of rack pinion one tooth is formed first using the coordinates from
rotation. The figure shows that at 0, 20, 30 and 50 the spread sheet that is developed for geometry
degree rotation, there will be single contact surface analysis. Then the tooth is replicated for other 6 teeth
between rack and pinion teeth. However, the contact in 360 degree with solid module having a thickness of
can be at two surface when the pinion rotation angle is 165.1mm and that creates the pinion.
at 10 and 40 degree.

Fig.2 Orientation of Pinion in different angle with the rack

Fig.3 Finite Element Model of the rack-pinion system
III. FINITE ELEMENT (FE) ANALYSIS
In this study, we have modelled the entire rack/pinion
Previously, a number of research works have been system as it practically works in an offshore rig as
conducted in developing methods to investigate the shown on Fig. 3 rather conducting investigation on a
Proceedings of 271st The IIER International Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12th - 13th December, 2019
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 Finite Element Analysis of Rack-Pinion System of a Jack-up Rig

single tooth. 20 node solid elements are used for developed in the pinion and hence figure out the
meshing of the model. Mesh biasness is considered at suitability of the system based on the material
the effected tooth and at the contact regions that strength. In view of this the analysis for 0 degree
results a total 3950 numbers of element as shown in orientation that keeps the pinion tooth just in contact
Fig.4. with the rack. The result in terms of von meshes stress
distribution for 0 degree orientation is presented on
Fig.5.

Fig.4 Meshing with the biasness of FE model

Fig.5 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 00
Both material and geometric nonlinearity is accounted
in the analysis procedure including the reduced The non-linear FE analysis shows that the maximum
integration to save time and lighten the calculation stress is developed at two positions; one is at the root
complexity. The material properties of the pinion of the tooth that generally occurs due to the bending
commensurate with the SAE 4340 with the elasticity effect and the other position is at the point of contact
of 206 GPa with a Poisson’s ratio of 0.29. The surface between rack and pinion. The maximum von mises
to surface contact is considered as hard in which the stress is found to be 1103 MPa that results at the root
contact surface of the pinion is the master surface and of the corresponding tooth which is just below the
the rack surface is the slave. The boundary condition ultimate strength of the proposed material (1242
applied for the rack is fixed support where the pinion MPa).
is allowed to rotate subjected to the torsional load. The
loading of the rack pinion system comes from different
combinations and the critical combination is
presented on Table 3.

Fig.6 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 100

Finite element model for 10 degree rotation is

simulated to obtain the von mises stress distribution
for both rack and pinion. It is important to highlight
Table 3: Loading the rack/pinion under different condition
that rack and pinion contact each other at two surface
V. ANALYSIS RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS positions at this rotational angle. The maximum stress
obtained at this contact angle is found to be 682 MPa
Finite Element analyses have been run for all six which is far below than that obtained at 0 degree
rotational cases of rack pinion system. The main target rotation. This can be explained by the fact that with
of this analyses is to determine the maximum stress the change of rotational angle the positioning of

Proceedings of 271st The IIER International Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12th - 13th December, 2019
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 Finite Element Analysis of Rack-Pinion System of a Jack-up Rig

pinion change with the rack and hence the contact

surface also changes. In addition, at 10 degree two
surface shares the total amount of torsional load that
ultimately results smaller amount of stress at the
pinion tooth.

Fig.7 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 200 Fig.10 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 500

Results extracted from the finite element analysis for Fig.10 shows the von mishes stress distribution of the
20, 30, 40 and 50 degree are presented on Fig 7 to Fig. rack pinion for the rotational angle of 50 degree. At
10 respectively. It can be seen from the Fig.7 that this orientation, the pinion comes close to the initial
maximum stress for 20 degree orientation is obtained position that genarated at 0 degree. The maximum von
same as that resulted for 0 degree. At this rotational mises stress is observed to be 1050 MPa. In any of the
angle, rack and pinion contacts at a single surface and abovementioned analyses, no excessive distortion or
maximum stress is obtained at the root of the affected deformation is observed either in pinion or in the rack
tooth. surface.

VI. CONCLUSION

A series of finite element models have been run to

investigate the proposed rack-pinion system and their
effectiveness against all possible loading condition
that can occur in regular operation and offshore
environment. The maximum stress resulting from the
critical load cases and its location for all six analyses is
Fig.8 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 300 briefly presented on Table 4.

Fig.8 shows the von mishes stress distribution of the

rack pinion for the rotational angle of 30 degree. The
maximum von mises stress is observed to be 955.6
MPa which is larger than that obtained for 10 degree
but smaller than that obtained for 20 degree. In
addition, it is interesting to highlight that the contact
stress is significantly high for this particular angle.

Table 4: Maximum stress with different angle of rotation

The result shows that the maximum stress that can be

developed in rack pinion system of this particular jack
up rig is 1103 which is less than proposed material
strength. Therefore, the noble 7 tooth rack pinion
Fig.9 Stress distribution of rack-pinion at 400 system with proposed shape and material can be
effective solution for such type offshore jack up rig.
Fig.9 shows the von mishes stress distribution of the
critical region of the rack pinion for the rotational ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
angle of 40 degree. The maximum vms stress is
observed to be 908 MPa which is close to that obtained This paper would not have been possible without the
for 30 degree orientation. Local contact stress of the cooperation and active assistance of Singapore
rack is very high at this angle. Amerine, Singapore.

Proceedings of 271st The IIER International Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12th - 13th December, 2019
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 Finite Element Analysis of Rack-Pinion System of a Jack-up Rig

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Structures, 1995. 57(5): p. 871-882.
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jacking system of a jack-up platform. Engineering Failure Different Rotational Speed by Theoretical and Finite Element
Analysis, 2013. 33: p. 212-221. Method. 2019.
[2] Montestruc, A.N., Allowable Contact Stresses in Jacking Gear [6] MackAldener, M. and M. Olsson, Tooth Interior Fatigue
Units Used in the Offshore Industry. Geartechnology, 2010(01): Fracture — computational and material aspects. International
p. 53-57. Journal of Fatigue, 2001. 23(4): p. 329-340.
[3] Hwang, S.-C., et al., Contact stress analysis for a pair of mating [7] Gupta, S., N. Shabakhty, and P. van Gelder, Fatigue damage in
gears. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 2013. 57(1): p. randomly vibrating jack-up platforms under non-Gaussian loads.
40-49. Applied Ocean Research, 2006. 28(6): p. 407-419.

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