Bounded and unbounded coupled transverse response of parametrically excited vertical marine risers and tensioned cable legs for marine applications

The paper deals with the non-linear dynamic response in the transverse direction of vertical marine risers or a tensioned cable legs subjected to parametric excitation at the top of the structure. The dynamic model contains both elastic and bending effects. The analytical approach reveals that the dynamic lateral response is governed by effects originated from the coupling of modes in transverse direction. The mathematical model is being treated numerically by retaining a sufficient number of transverse modes. Numerical results are given for specific case studies and refer both to the time histories of the lateral response for all modes of motion, and to the corresponding power spectral densities obtained through FFT. The numerical predictions are suitably plotted and discussed. The calculations concern both the undamped and the damped dynamic system. The damping in the system is a non-linear Morison type term, which describes the effect of the hydrodynamic drag. Both coupled and uncoupled equations are treated and points as well as regions of coupled and uncoupled stability and instability are defined. It is shown that the impacts originated from the coupling, evaluate new instabilities for the respective undamped system. The numerical results obtained through FFT of the time histories, provide qualitative conclusions for the features of the dynamic response for the modes of motions considered. Special attention has been paid to the effect of the hydrodynamic drag for the parametric excitation frequencies that guide the dynamic system to lie within a region of coupled instability. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.