RiverLab involves a community of more than 15 researchers working on projects spanning across oceanography, engineering and animal biology. One of the capstone projects involves the design and construction of a model FPSO, in combination with a novel instrument system to measure the vessel heading and dynamic motion when subjected to natural and artificial waves in the river. The innovations in this capstone project are the use of low cost sensors in combination with the Swan River rather than a traditional wave basin. Basins offer user-specified sea states, but the waves are often long crested and include unavoidable reflections due to the walls of the basin. Data obtained through this capstone project will be used to better understand FPSO motions in directionally spread waves and to validate numerical models of vessel motions - leading to improved models for prototype predictions.

1. RiverLab: Using the Swan River as a large wave basin
and ocean analogue for innovative offshore engineering
Dr Scott Draper & Dr Ian Milne
AOG, RINA Session23rd February 2017

2. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

3. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

4. Original RiverLab Idea

5. Original RiverLab Idea

6. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

7. Development of the RiverLab Idea
Response of
floating systems
Long-term current,
turbulence and wave
measurements
Geotechnical site
investigation tools
Sensors for noise
detection and
aquatic life

8. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

9. Objectives:
1. Accelerate and support the development of offshore engineering
2. Develop innovative education and teaching in offshore engineering
3. Become part of a community of researchers active in the Swan
River
Objectives and Resources

10. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020
RiverLab: Background

11. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Identifying Objectives and Resources
Project Kick-Off
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

12. RiverLab Today
http://www.oceans.uwa.edu.au/collaborations/riverlab

13. RiverLab Today
http://www.oceans.uwa.edu.au/collaborations/riverlab

14. RiverLab Today
1 River
7 Projects
>15 Academics across
2 faculties
6 Final year students
2 Masters units
2 Novel devices being
trialled

15. Example 1: Measuring surface waves in the Swan River

16. Measuring surface waves

17. Measuring surface waves

18. Measuring surface waves

19. Retrieving the device

20. Measuring surface waves

21. Outcome: Teaching
Short term and long term wave analysis

22. Outcome: Research

23. Data will be made available via RiverLab website as .nc file.
Outcome: Community

24. Example 2: Dynamic response of floating vessels

25. Background & motivations
Heave (risers, cranes)
Pitch (greenwater)
Roll (turbomachinery)
Typical IMU in EX enclosure
FPSOs can experience large motions in
the open ocean affecting asset
operability and integrity
Model-scale testing in wave basins is
expensive and restrictive
Acquiring full-scale motion data is
usually expensive, inflexible and
requires specialist intervention
Push towards asset-self certification

26. Objectives
Heave (risers, cranes)
Pitch (greenwater)
Roll (turbomachinery)
Typical IMU in EX enclosure
1. Evaluate the potential of obtaining
useful vessel motion responses in the
Swan River
2. Demonstrate the applicability of low cost
sensors to measure vessel motion
Both have the potential to significantly
reduce costs associated with acquiring
important vessel motion data
Also serve as a valuable student educational
tool

27. Hydrodynamic modelling to determine a suitable
geometric scale to excite motion of interest
Incorporation of observed and numerical (SWAN)
wave spectra
Useful experience using commercial software for
students
Numerical modelling
Example Heave RAO Example Roll RAO
HydroStar panel model
Support from Bureau Veritas
(M. Lewis)

28. 2.1 m (~1:130) vessel loaned from AMC
Vessel and moorings
• No topsides to reduce windage
• No bilge keels
• Spread-mooring

29. Variety of low-cost (~$100) 6DOF
programmable Mems-based IMU
systems investigated
Raspberry-PI system developed and
undergoing initial testing
Focus on evaluating accuracy, sensor
drift and wireless capabilities
IMU Development
Raspberry-pi IMU in waterproof enclosure (B. Atkinson)

30. Deployment in the Swan River

31. Measuring vessel motions
Computation of response spectra
~1.6s
Roll damping from decay tests

32. • Increased complexity
̶ Topsides and turret-mooring system
̶ Near-surface winds and currents
̶ Bilge keels for roll damping
• Installation of low-cost
sensors on operating
assets for improved
measurement accuracy and
redundancy
Future plans and the big picture

33. • Increased complexity
̶ Topsides and turret-mooring system
̶ Near-surface winds and currents
̶ Bilge keels for roll damping
• Installation of low-cost
sensors on operating
assets for improved
measurement accuracy and
redundancy
Future plans and the big picture
Asset self-
certification
Model-scale
testing
Full-scale
motions
and
metocean
data
Numerical
wave-
structure
interaction
models
Bayesian
statistical
models for
forecasting

34. Original RiverLab idea
Development of the RiverLab idea
Deciding Objectives and Resources
Funding Received
What the RiverLab is today
Future Opportunities
RiverLab: Background
September, 2015
October, 2015
November, 2015
February 2016
February, 2017
2020

35. We are now coming to
the end of year 1 (4 to
go)
Very open to new ideas
Aim is to diversify
projects, and to have
genuine impact
The website allows
ideas to be captured
Future Opportunities

36. We are now coming to the
end of year 1 (4 to go)
Very open to new ideas
Aim is to diversify projects,
and to have genuine
impact
The website allows ideas
to be captured
Future Opportunities

37. Current Collaborators