Offshore platforms are exposed to random cyclic loads imposed on the structure by natural phenomena including waves, sea currents, wind and etc, so fatigue analysis of these structures is one of the most important design steps. Hot spot method is one of the most common techniques for evaluating of the fatigue life of offshore platforms. In this approach, the stress adjacent to the weld is estimated by extrapolation from the stress distribution approaching the weld, as obtained by finite element method or perhaps from strain measurements on the surface. In order to calculate the fatigue life of Amir Kabir semi-submersible drilling platform, first a model of platform is created. Then according to the environmental conditions of the Caspian sea, hydrodynamic forces exerted on the platform are calculated. The simulated hydrodynamic forces are then applied to the platform structure for calculating the stress and strain fields in the whole structure. It is found that the intersection of column and pontoon is the critical section of the platform and hence the fatigue life of the structure is predicted in terms of conditions of this location.

Keywords: Semi-submersible drilling platform, Hydrodynamic loads, Fatigue, Hot spot stress

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