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On the Optimization of Mooring Lines for Floating Structures Considering the Role of Sinker Mass
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Abstract
Conventional mooring line design for floating structures often relies on empirical or trial-and-error methods, leading to inefficient material use and increased costs. This study proposes a multi-objective optimization framework using the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm to design a single mooring line, with a novel emphasis on the sinker’s mass. The approach simultaneously minimizes the mooring line weight and sinker mass while satisfying strength, stability, and seabed contact constraints. The resulting Pareto front reveals a clear trade-off between these objectives, with an optimal "knee point" offering a balanced design. Compared to empirical designs, the optimized configuration reduces mooring line weight by 15.9% and sinker mass by 22.3%, demonstrating significant material and cost savings. This method provides a systematic and efficient tool for enhancing the design of mooring systems in offshore engineering applications.
Keywords
Mooring line, floating structure, calculation method, multi-objective particle swarm optimization, sinker, trial and error method
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References
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