Life-Cycle Structural Integrity Management of Offshore Structures

Torgeir Moan
Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NORWAY

The continuous innovation in the offshore industry to deal with new serviceability requirements and demanding environments as well the inherent potential of risk of fires and explosions, have lead to a focus on the development of methodology for safety management in the design, fabrication and operational phases of offshore structures. Based on relevant experiences with hazards, accidents and means to control the associated risk are categorized from a technical-physical as well as human and organizational point of view.

An overview of research and developments relating to design criteria, inspection, repair and maintenance as well as quality assurance and control of the design process to achieve adequate safety, is given. Service experiences show that accidental loads and abnormal strength due to gross errors or omissions made during design, fabrication or operation, contribute significantly to the risk. In particular, a quantitative design approach for dealing with structural robustness is described. Risk and reliability methods for supporting decisions in the safety management are briefly reviewed.