Object-oriented approach in design for lift installation of offshore structures

Abstract

A consistent representation of offshore structures and barges that is appropriate for computer processing is essential for the development of an efficient design system for offshore heavy lift installation. This paper outlines the representation of conceptual and physical entities in the preliminary design for lift installation through an object-oriented approach. The spatial and topologic abstractions of physical entities are illustrated. These abstractions, together with the locational dependency concept for an assembly, form the backbone for geometric reasoning in the top-down approach for lift installation design. An object-oriented prototype system for lift evaluation, C-LIFT, using the knowledge-based development tool kit ART*Enterprise is described. A liftability study involving the installation of offshore modules and the associated lift sequence is then presented to illustrate the advantages of this approach.