Wind effects on offshore platforms: a wind tunnel model study

Abstract

A rigid model of an offshore platform over a simulated rigid-lid marine atmospheric boundary layer is studied in this work. Investigations show that the legs of the mobile platform can be the critical elements limiting performance when afloat or working in shallow water, and that the vertical airflow components and turbulence on the helideck may cause problems unless there is an air gap to allow air flow beneath the helideck.