Joining Technology of Very Large Floating Structures Considering Thermal Distortion and Thermal Stress Caused by Sunshine

-Joining Technology of Very Large Floating Structures(2^nd Report)-

Abstract

This paper deals with the thermal distortion and thermal stress of very large floating structures caused by sunshine during joining floating structures each other. In case of constructing very large floating structures, we have to join many floating units each other. The floating structure on the sea is deformed easily by thermal distribution in the structure. At daytime, the deck plate of the floating structure is heated by sunshine and the temperature of the deck plate rises about 30 degrees higher than that of the bottom plate. This thermal distribution causes thermal distortion and induces thermal stress in the floating structure. This thermal distortion causes not only geometrical inaccuracy of the floating structure but also results in wide opening between the bottom plates of the floating units. Therefore, precise estimation of this thermal distortion is very important for joining operation. In case of construction of the floating airport model, we estimated this thermal distortion and thermal stress by 3D FEM analysis and we decide the joining procedure by using analyzed results.