Fatigue analysis of plate structures
Sesam software for offshore structural engineering includes the program Stofat for stochastic fatigue analysis of structures modelled by plate, shell and even solid elements.
Frequency domain wave loads are computed by HydroD in case of a voluminous structure (FPSO, semi-submersible, etc.) and Wajac in case of a frame structure. In the latter case a fatigue analysis may be done for a plated deck or topside structure on top of a frame structure, e.g. a jacket. The input to Stofat is wave spectra, wave scatter diagrams and wave direction probabilities. The fatigue analysis is based on the Miner’s rule.