Simulation of offshore lift through splash zone.

Hi MathWorks community.

I want to simulate an offshore crane lifting operation (from a vessel), where the item is lowered through the splash zone. Onwards I want to calculate the loads on the lifting wire. The crane can either be "fixed" or if possible, include heave and roll motion.

Any idea or suggestens on how to model such a simulation? Or where to start?

Kind regards

Answer 1

[Steve Miller]

TheExternal Force and Torque block enables you to apply a custom force to a frame in your Simscape Multibody model. If you can determine how your force should be calculated, perhaps dependent upon height relative to water surface and speed, then you could apply that force to the load.

Alternatively, the Spatial Contact Force block lets you use your own custom friction forces if you set the Normal Force Method and Frictional Force Method to "Provided by Input".

There is an example of a custom friction force in File Exchange submission Spatial Contact Force Examples in Simscape Multibody. It is not as complex as the example you are working towards, but could be used as a starting point.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/109680-spatial-contact-force-examples-simscape-multibody

Download the files and try sm_disk_floor_custom_friction.slx

--Steve