Makers of MOSES - The Final Answer in Marine Simulation
What Is New In Rev 5.02

General Changes:

Rev 5.02 is a major release, with several enhancements from the previous version. The topology of the ultra directory has changed substantially. In the past, files required by the program resided at the first level in the ultra directory. These files included ultra.ban, ultra.cus, ultra.mac, product.cnt, product.help, product.progm, some utility script (or .BAT) files, and then a variety of machine subdirectories for UNIX installations. Here, "product" used in the file names refers to the product you have, such as MOSES, OSCAR II or ISAAC. Two new subdirectories, data and bin, have been added to better organize these files. The contents of the program file and custom file have also been changed for the same reason.

Release Structure:

Also, the behavior when a program is initiated has been changed. Now, "root.comi" is only executed when there has been no previous run for "root". This eliminates the need to "comment out" a comi file for subsequent runs. If, however, one really prefers the old behavior, it can still be retained by setting the ALWAYS variable in the customize file to be "YES".

Along with directory changes, names of program files have changed. These names are now consistent between DOS and UNIX systems, and have changed as shown below: 


              OLD NAME      NEW NAME          PURPOSE
              --------      --------          -------
 
             ultra.ban      product.ban     Banner file
             ultra.cus      product.cus     Custom file
             ultra.shp      product.aux     Shapes file
             ultra.macro    product.mac     Macro file
             product.help   product.hlp     Help data base file
             product.progm  product.pgm     Program file

The ultra directory now looks much cleaner, with just the utility scripts and the required subdirectories at the top level. In the ultra/data directory, there are several subdirectories: local, progm, site and unix (DOS only)are new. The subdirectories changes, samples, tests and tools are the same as before, they just reside in this new location.

The progm directory is where we place the files product.aux (shapes), product.mac (macros), product.man (manual) product.pgm (program) and our version of product.cus. By separating out the various parts of the previous program file, it is easier to tell what data is contained in the respective files.

The site directory contains product.cnt, product.hlp, and the company file, used by the jacket installation analysis macros. These macros and their associated files and directories still reside in a directory tools, but they are now in /ultra/data/tools.

In essence, all of the files in progm and site are supplied and should not be changed. The local directory contains copies of our basic files which can be customized for your specific installation. This directory can contain product.cus, product.mac or product.aux files. Since these files reside in their own local directory they will not ever be touched by our installation procedures. We suggest that initially, one copies product.cus from progm to local, and then alters it to suite his taste.

The ultra/bin directory contains machine dependent executables, plus program update and release scripts. Each machine has its own subdirectory.

For our DOS users, we now ship a batch of UNIX tools that work on the DOS. These tools came to us from the public domain, and we find them to be quite useful. The UNIX favorites are included, such as grep, vi, ls, diff, find and cp. Our installation procedure does not add these to your path, but you may want to if you find them as useful as we do. These tools are located in the ultraunix directory.

As you will see as you read through this document, several old friends no longer work. We have written macros which replace many of them and which will minimize the pain in converting to this release. These macros will not be automatically installed. On a UNIX installation, the install procedure will ask if you want them installed. On a DOS machine, you must install them manually. To manually install the macros for DOS, you should: 


      1. Move the file old.mac from /ultra/data/tools/old/ to /ultra/data/local.
      2. Delete /ultra/data/site/product.hlp, and
      3. Run the product to rebuild the help data base.
If for a UNIX installation, you later decide to install the macros, you can follow the above instructions will the proper UNIX paths substituted for the DOS ones.

The Disposition Menu:

The Disposition Menu has changed quite a bit. Several new commands have been added, and the syntax of others is now different. In particular, the general way of selecting columns with the -SELECT option has been changed. Now, one inputs the columns directly after the command name. The old way is, however, still honored. The results reported by the STATISTICS command have been expanded to include more data, and a new type of statistics computation has been incorporated for handling frequency domain data. The ADD_COLUMN command allows one to add data to the existing data base, find the normal of two or more columns, or combine columns of data to create a new column. This is particularly useful when comparing results from other sources, such as model tests. For the same reason, the PLOT command has been changed to include the -POINTS option. This option will add specified points to an existing plot. The commands SPECTRUM and FFT have also been added to the Disposition Menu. These will produce either a spectrum or Fourier transform from existing columns of data, and are useful in the analysis of time domain simulation results. The CULL command allows one to truncate his original data.

The Illustration Menu:

In the Illustration Menu, PICTURE -COLOR has a new TYPE of SELECTED. This will plot the whole picture in a "weak" color, while the items selected will be plotted in a bright color. This is useful for locating items in a model. Also, PICTURE -ANOTATE now accepts a TYPE of CATEGORY, which adds class names to beams. A new command, ZOOM has been added, which moves the center of the picture one screen in the direction specified.

New String Functions:

Two new string functions, &V_EXIST, and &SEVERITY have been added to the program. &V_EXIST checks the existence of a variable name, while &SEVERITY checks if an error or warning resulted from the previous command.

Converting Models:

Two new types of model conversion have been added to the &CONVERT command. One can now specify a type of HULL or STRUCAD. With a type of HULL, vessel descriptions created using the old HULL, STATION and OSET commands are converted to the newer format using PGEN and PLANE commands. A type of STRUCAD will convert a STRUCAD model. Past problems with the shape tables and the STRUDL converter have also been fixed.

Miscellaneous Changes:

Three new options have been added to the RARM command. The -CEN_LATERAL option specifies the center of lateral resistance, about which wind heeling arms will be calculated. The program default is to use the center of buoyancy as the center of lateral resistance. The -STOP option allows one to stop the computation when either the righting arm, net arm, or down flooding height is negative. Finally, the -W_COEFF option allows one to input wind heeling arms which depend on heel angle.

Panel names used in creating meshes are now optional. If the name is omitted, the program will assign one internally. Also, in the &SURFACE menu, the EMIT_BLOCK command has a new option -USE_NAME to control emitting a panel name.

The STRPOST Menu:

In the STRPOST menu, the commands BEAM and PLATE have changed to BEAM_POST and PLATE_POST, respectively. An additional data type of ENVELOPE has been added to the BEAM_POST and RESTRAINT commands. With this type, the minimum and maximum values of beam stresses or restraint loads for all selected load cases will be provided. Also, a new option, -DOF_SEL on the BEAM_POST LOAD command allows one to specify the degree of freedom on a beam to use as a criteria for reporting beam loads. In the past, the maximum axial load was used as the criteria for determining the load case to print beam loads. The BEAM_POST command has been modified to include the option -B_LOAD. If this option is specified with a type of YES, a third line is added to the beam code check, providing the loads that produced the reported stresses. This option is also allowed on &REP_SEL, so it can be used in the product.cus file if desired.

Compartments :

A new option -DYNAMIC has been added to the &COMPARTMENT command. This option allows one to specify a set of compartments (defined with valves) which will be flooded during a time domain simulation. With these compartments, the true flow rate and consequent water added is computed at each time step. Thus, one is able to simulate the sinking of a body.

Load Groups :

Several minor changes have been made to the operation of load groups. First, two new load group attributes, #TABLE and #TUBE, have been added. The #TABLE command allows the user to input his own wind and current force coefficients for a variety of headings. This table name is then associated with a load group name. The #TUBE command provides the ability to add a tube between two points, for the sole purpose of attracting environmental loads. A new option, -WAVE_PM, has been added to the load group attribute commands: #AREA, #PLATE, #TANKER, #TABLE and #TUBE. This option defines a multiplier for wave particle velocity and acceleration before it is added to the other velocities and accelerations to compute a force. With this option, it is now possible to control whether or not a particular attribute will produce a "wave load" or only have a damping effect. Two new options on the &DESCRIBE LOAD_GROUP command allow the matrices defined with #AMASS and #DRAG to be included in the frequency domain.

Connectors:

Connectors have also changed quite a bit to allow for more detailed study of positioning systems of bodies. First, a new type of connector, TUG_BOAT, has been added. This connector applies a force in a constant global direction, and is useful in maneuverability and repositioning studies for large floating structures. For static problems, the tug force is that specified, but for dynamic time domain simulations, the tug force varies with the wave amplitude at the tug position. Along with this connector, a new menu, REPOSITION, has been added. Commands provided in this menu are designed to reposition a body by changing line lengths and tug forces. The user can specify upper and lower bounds for line and tug forces, and also specify desired values for these quantities. Bodies can also be repositioned by changing tug direction. There are two other changes related to repositioning: The -C_FORCE option, added to the &INSTATE command, and the change in name of EQUI to &EQUI. The option computes a force on each body that makes a specified system configuration be in equilibrium, and is useful to "correct" errors in the computed force when compared with field measurements. By making EQUI an internal command, it can be executed from the REPOSITION menu. Thus, one can easily see the effect of any repositioning. The commands &M_ANCHOR, &C_LENGTH, &CO_STAT, &LWAY, and &PIPE are now obsolete, and have been replaced with a single command, &CONNECTOR. In addition to being able to perform all of the functions of the old commands, facilities have been included to change TUG_BOAT settings, and to alter specific properties of ROD connectors. A new &STATUS type, SPREAD, provides data regarding the status of various connectors in a mooring spread. A final change for connectors is the addition of options to the &CONNECTOR string function, to return the values of connector local and global heading, plus the ratio of acting tension to breaking strength.

Two basic changes have been made in the way the environment is viewed. First, the manner used to specify wind information has changed. In the past, one specified a single wind velocity. Now, one specifies an average wind, a profile rule, a gust rule, and a gust duration to define the wind which will actually be applied to an element. Profiles with the type of ABS, API, NPD or POWER can be defined, and gust rules of types API or NPD are allowed. The dynamic nature of the wind has changed as well. The old way is simply no longer honored. In its stead, one now defines a wind spectrum type API, HARRIS, DAVENPORT, or OCHI and a set of periods at which the wind will be synthesized in the time domain. The other change is how direct wave forces are synthesized in the time domain. In the past, the periods from the last set of RAOs were used, and this lead to serious confusion. Now, one specifies directly on the &ENV command the periods he wishes to use with a -P_WAVE option.

Frequency Response:

The SRESPONSE command which made its debut in Rev 5.01 radically altered the way in which frequency domain data was viewed. Unfortunately, we did not grasp all of the implications. This release clarifies the situation. First, the FRQPOST menu has been changed to FREQ_RESP, and the RAO and SRESPONSE commands have been move from the Main Menu to it. One can now compute frequency response and post-process it in the same menu. In the past, the results reported with PRC_SUM were confusing. They were a mixture of Morrison's' and diffraction results with some missing ingredients. Now, these things are truly the added mass, damping, and right hand side used to compute the response. As a result, the name PRC_SUM has been changed to EQU_SUM, and the wave drift is no longer reported.

In keeping with the frequency response changes, a new menu, HYDRODYNAMICS, has been created. This menu unifies treatment of the "hydrodynamic" data by providing a single place to create, modify, export, import, and post-process diffraction type data. Also included in this menu is Tanaka/Kato viscous damping. The Main Menu command PRCOMP has been replaced with the new command G_PRESSURE in the HYDRODYNAMICS menu. The old commands MATRICES, EXFORCE, and DRIFT in the old FRQPOST menu now reside here as V_MATRICES, V_EXFORCE, and V_MDRIFT. The old way of importing hydrodynamic data with &DATA is now treated here with I_PRESSURE, I_TOTAL, I_MDRIFT, and I_TANAKA. The old way of exporting hydrodynamic data with &EXPORT is replaced with E_PRESSURE, E_TOTAL, E_MDRIFT, and E_TANAKA. Perhaps more importantly, the options on the &DESCRIBE BODY command of -N_DRIFT, -NEW_DRIFT, -MD_FORCE, -MD_MOTION, -MD_DAMP, -G_DRIFT, -TANAKA, -N_VISCOUS, -FM_MORISON, -FM_TANAKA, -TM_TANAKA, -SPE_MULTIP, -FACT_CONV, -PERI_USE, -NO_DIRECT, and -WAVE_RUN have all been replaced with commands or options on commands in this menu. Finally, one can formulate viscous damping for pitch with a command here. Since there are quite a few implications of all of these changes, we strongly suggest that you take the time to read this section of the manual.

New Samples:

A new sample, JDOCK, has been added to the /ultra/data/samples/jacket directory. This sample illustrates how to analyze a jacket docking with a pile attached to the seafloor. This is a relatively complete sample with a derrick barge attached to the jacket, and P-Y curves to represent the stiffness of the pile.