PDF(5129 KB)
Applications and research progress of artificial intelligence in predicting dynamic responses of offshore floating structures
Sheng ZHANG, Jianmin ZHANG, Xiangyuan ZHENG
Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2025, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (12) : 2493-2509.
PDF(5129 KB)
PDF(5129 KB)
Applications and research progress of artificial intelligence in predicting dynamic responses of offshore floating structures
Significance: As onshore and nearshore resources become increasingly scarce, exploiting the deep sea has become a strategic priority for energy production, aquaculture, raw materials, and maritime transport. Deep-sea engineering relies on various offshore floating structures that operate under harsh, complex, and time-varying wind, wave, and current conditions. Accurate and efficient prediction of their motions and internal force responses is essential for structural safety, optimal design, and operational planning. Conventional methods, such as computational fluid dynamics and potential flow theory, are computationally expensive or imprecise when strong nonlinearities are present. Advances in sensors, computing power, and big data technology have enabled artificial intelligence (AI) applications in this field. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) adaptively capture complex nonlinear dynamics from large datasets, making AI-based response prediction an effective bridge between efficiency and accuracy in ocean engineering. This review surveys recent progress in AI methods for predicting the dynamic responses of offshore floating structures, underscoring their strengths and limitations and outlining future research directions. Progress: This review consolidates recent advances in applying AI to three key predictive tasks for offshore floating structures (e.g., oil and gas platforms, floating production, storage and offloading units (FPSOs), and floating wind turbines). First, in time-series prediction, recurrent ANNs, such as gated recurrent units and long short-term memory networks, are widely used for short-term forecasting of floater motions and mooring tensions. Current research primarily focuses on two key improvement strategies. The first involves optimizing input features, which include environmental time histories (e.g., wave elevation and wind speed) and dynamic response time series (e.g., floater motions and internal structural forces). The second focuses on integrating AI with complementary techniques. Signal processing algorithms, such as variational mode decomposition, are used to reduce the bandwidth of model inputs. Optimization algorithms, such as Bayesian optimization, are employed to fine-tune model hyperparameters. Furthermore, incorporating physical laws (e.g., hydrodynamic transfer functions) enhances the model's generalization capability. Second, for extreme-value prediction, ANNs such as multilayer perceptrons and backpropagation networks are trained to map environmental parameters directly to short-term extremes or to extreme-value distribution parameters, thereby greatly reducing computational cost compared with time-domain simulations. For long-term extremes, representative sea states are sampled, and a surrogate model is trained to rapidly predict short-term extremes; probability convolution across states then provides long-term estimates that approach the accuracy of traditional full long-term analyses at a fraction of the computational cost. Third, for short-term fatigue damage prediction, ANNs are applied in both frequency-domain analysis (e.g., approximating nonlinear stress transfer functions) and time-domain analysis (e.g., mapping environmental parameters directly to load ranges or damage equivalent loads). For long-term fatigue assessment, two practical strategies prevail. The first is similar to that used in long-term extreme predictions. The second employs active learning to iteratively select the most informative samples, considerably reducing the required number of simulations while preserving accuracy. Conclusions and Prospects: AI provides significant advantages in rapid prediction and effective modeling of strong nonlinearities, overcoming the limitations of traditional numerical methods and enabling efficient forecasting and design optimization. However, most models are purely data-driven and thus assume limited generalizability to unseen conditions, lack physical interpretability, and often ignore built-in uncertainty quantification. Additionally, while various time-series prediction methods have been extensively compared, similar cross-evaluations are scarce for extreme-value and fatigue prediction approaches. To translate AI advances into reliable engineering practice, future work should prioritize physics-informed neural networks that embed fundamental hydrodynamics to improve generalization and trustworthiness, integrate uncertainty quantification frameworks such as Bayesian neural networks for reliability-based design, and develop more efficient strategies for long-term extreme-value and fatigue prediction. Finally, establishing high-quality shared datasets, standardized benchmarks, and validation protocols will be essential to migrate these techniques from research prototypes to routine engineering tools, powering digital twins and forecasting systems for offshore floating structures.
artificial intelligence (AI) / offshore floating structures / time-series prediction / extreme-value prediction / fatigue prediction
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
米立军, 周守为, 谢玉洪, 等. 南海北部深水区油气勘探进展与未来展望[J]. 中国工程科学, 2022, 24 (3): 58- 65.
|
| 3 |
麦康森, 徐皓, 薛长湖, 等. 开拓我国深远海养殖新空间的战略研究[J]. 中国工程科学, 2016, 18 (3): 90- 95.
|
| 4 |
MOAN T. The Alexander L. Kielland accident: Proceedings from the first Robert Bruce Wallace lecture, department of ocean engineering, Massachusetts institute of technology[R]. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1981.
|
| 5 |
|
| 6 |
Orcina Ltd. OrcaFlex documentation (v 11.4d)[EB/OL]. [2025-10-12]. https://www.orcina.com/webhelp/OrcaFlex/Default.htm.
|
| 7 |
|
| 8 |
WANG J, ZHENG X Y, HE Q D. Artificial intelligence applied to extreme value prediction of non-Gaussian processes with bandwidth effect and non-monotonicity[C]// Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Computer Applications. Dalian, China: IEEE, 2021.
|
| 9 |
杨志勋. 海洋脐带缆结构几何双尺度分析及优化设计研究[D]. 大连: 大连理工大学, 2019.
YANG Z X. Study on geometric bi-scale analysis and optimization design of the structure of marine umbilical[D]. Dalian: Dalian University of Technology, 2019. (in Chinese)
|
| 10 |
|
| 11 |
|
| 12 |
康艺柔, 陈鹏, 程正顺, 等. 人工智能技术在海上风机领域的应用综述[J]. 船舶, 2023, 34 (5): 12- 23.
|
| 13 |
|
| 14 |
|
| 15 |
|
| 16 |
|
| 17 |
李昊波, 肖龙飞, 魏汉迪, 等. 基于LSTM网络的浮式海洋平台运动在线预报研究[J]. 船舶力学, 2021, 25 (5): 576- 585.
|
| 18 |
|
| 19 |
|
| 20 |
|
| 21 |
|
| 22 |
|
| 23 |
|
| 24 |
|
| 25 |
|
| 26 |
|
| 27 |
|
| 28 |
|
| 29 |
|
| 30 |
|
| 31 |
|
| 32 |
|
| 33 |
|
| 34 |
BERNITSAS M M, CHOI H S, AAGE C, et al. Report of the ITTC specialist committee on deep water mooring: Final report and recommendations to the 22nd ITTC[C]// Proceedings of the 22nd International Towing Tank Conference. Shanghai, China: The Society of Naval Architects of Korea & The Chinese Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, 1999.
|
| 35 |
CHRISTIANSEN N H, VOIE P E T, HØGSBERG J. Artificial neural networks for reducing computational effort in active truncated model testing of mooring lines[C]// Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015: OMAE2015-42162.
|
| 36 |
|
| 37 |
|
| 38 |
|
| 39 |
KUMAR N, LIONG C T, CHEN W K, et al. Development of data-driven models for prediction of mooring line tensions[C]// Proceedings of the 39th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA(held online): American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2020.
|
| 40 |
|
| 41 |
|
| 42 |
|
| 43 |
|
| 44 |
CHEN P, KANG Y R, ZHANG R H, et al. A response frequency informed LSTM model for ultra-short-term mooring line forces prediction of floating wind turbines[C]// Proceedings of the ASME 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore, Singapore: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2024.
|
| 45 |
|
| 46 |
薛佳帆, 张航维, 何广华, 等. 基于深度学习的海工平台运动预测[J]. 哈尔滨工业大学学报, 2024, 56 (8): 163- 170.
|
| 47 |
|
| 48 |
|
| 49 |
|
| 50 |
|
| 51 |
HUGHES W, ZHANG W. Physics-informed deep learning for transmission tower response under wind loading[C]// Proceedings of the 2022 North American Power Symposium. Piscataway, New Jersey: IEEE, 2022: 1-6.
|
| 52 |
|
| 53 |
|
| 54 |
卫慧, 陈鹏, 张芮菡, 等. 基于长短期记忆网络的大型漂浮式风力发电机平台运动极短期预报方法[J]. 上海交通大学学报, 2023, 57 (S1): 37- 45.
|
| 55 |
刘飞飞. 浮式风机水动力响应与系泊系统疲劳损伤及深度学习短期运动预报研究[D]. 大连: 大连理工大学, 2022.
LIU F F. Research on hydrodynamic response of floating wind turbine, fatigue damage of mooring system and short-term motion prediction by deep learning[D]. Dalian: Dalian University of Technology, 2022. (in Chinese)
|
| 56 |
|
| 57 |
|
| 58 |
IEA Wind TCP. IEA wind TCP task 30: Offshore code comparison collaboration, continuation, with correlation and uncertainty[EB/OL]. [2025-10-12]. https://iea-wind.org/task30/.
|
| 59 |
|
| 60 |
|
| 61 |
DNV. Environmental conditions and environmental loads: DNV-RP-C205[S]. Høvik, Norway: Det Norske Veritas, 2010.
|
| 62 |
|
| 63 |
|
| 64 |
|
| 65 |
COTRIM L P, OLIVEIRA H B, QUEIROZ A N, et al. Neural network meta-models for FPSO motion prediction from environmental data[C]// Proceedings of the 40th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil(held online): American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2021.
|
| 66 |
|
| 67 |
|
| 68 |
LI Y, ZHONG Q Y, GAN Q. Mooring line tensions prediction based on MLP for soft yoke mooring system[C]// Proceedings of the 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore, Singapore: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2024.
|
| 69 |
|
| 70 |
|
| 71 |
GONZALEZ G M, DE SIQUEIRA M Q, SIMÃO M L, et al. On the use of artificial neural networks for estimating the long-term mooring lines response considering wind sea and swell[C]// Proceedings of the 39th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA(held online): American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2020.
|
| 72 |
|
| 73 |
|
| 74 |
DNV. Dynamic risers: Offshore standard: DNV-OS-F201[S]. Høvik, Norway: Det Norske Veritas, 2001.
|
| 75 |
|
| 76 |
|
| 77 |
|
| 78 |
|
| 79 |
|
| 80 |
|
| 81 |
|
| 82 |
|
| 83 |
|
| 84 |
|
| 85 |
|
| 86 |
|
| 87 |
|
| 88 |
GU A, DAO T. Mamba: Linear-time sequence modeling with selective state spaces[EB/OL]. (2024-05-31)[2025-10-12]. https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.00752.
|
| 89 |
DE MELO COSTA J L, KURIKE MATSUMOTO F, NETTO C F D, et al. Spectral graph-based networks for mooring line failure detection on FPSO[C]// Proceedings of the 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore, Singapore: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2024.
|
| 90 |
|
| 91 |
|
| 92 |
|
/
| 〈 |
|
〉 |