Wave forces on decks of offshore platforms

The wave crest height according to RP 2A of the American Petroleum Institute (API) is higher than the lower deck elevations of many existing platforms. The API guidelines to determine wave forces acting on the decks of these platforms indicate that most platforms cannot survive such loadings. The decks must either be removed or raised to clear the specified wave crests. A variety of laboratory tests have been performed to address this problem. Several approaches have been developed to compute the wave crest loadings and the responses of the platforms to the loadings. There have been many instances in which platforms have experienced significant wave loadings on their lower decks during hurricanes. Some of these platforms have survived and some have failed. This paper summarizes results from a study of the performance of platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that have survived and failed during hurricane wave loadings on their decks. Modifications to the API deck wave force guidelines are discussed and validated with platform held performance during past hurricanes.