Identification of Static Loads in Wharf Mooring Cables Using the Influence Coefficient Method

Area of Science:

• Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
• Structural Health Monitoring
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Direct measurement of mooring cable loads on ships at wharves presents significant practical difficulties.
• Accurate monitoring of mooring forces is crucial for maritime safety and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an indirect method for identifying mooring cable static loads.
• To enhance the accuracy of load measurement through optimized sensor placement and data processing.

Main Methods:

• Finite element analysis (FEA) of bollards to determine strain distribution under unit loads.
• Genetic algorithm (GA) for optimizing strain gauge placement and orientation.
• Influence Coefficient Matrix (ICM) method to correlate bollard strains with mooring cable loads.

Main Results:

• A numerical case study confirmed the feasibility and high accuracy of the indirect load identification method.
• Experimental verification demonstrated the method's reliability under various conditions.
• The derived load coefficient matrix effectively relates measured strains to cable loads.

Conclusions:

• The proposed indirect method provides an effective and reliable approach for measuring mooring cable static loads.
• The research offers a technical framework for real-time monitoring of mooring cable tensions.
• This technique addresses the practical challenges of direct load measurement in maritime operations.