USA: Bentley Releases New SACS Version for Offshore Wind Platforms, Vessels Analysis

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, has announced the release of SACS version 5.5 – software that expands installation capabilities, integrates new wind turbine platform design functionality, and introduces floating analysis for offshore vessels.

Leveraging Bentley’s November 2011 acquisition of Perth-based FormSys and its Maxsurf technology, this SACS release is the first to incorporate powerful floating capabilities via modules for motions prediction, stability, and hull modeling. These product enhancements provide integrated workflows between offshore vessel modeling and structural analysis of motion induced loads, unmatched visualization of vessel motions – including real-time rendered animation of vessel motions in irregular wave conditions – and best-in-class coverage of offshore steel design codes optimized for large, complex structures.

Commenting on the new release, Geoff Leggatt, supervising engineering specialist, INTECSEA, said: “Our positive experience with Bentley’s Maxsurf technology on floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel projects makes us look forward to the new capabilities for offshore floating systems in SACS 5.5.”

Three new SACS modules represent another significant step forward in Bentley’s advancement of analysis and design software for offshore engineering projects. They include:

• motions prediction – computing vessel motions and providing integrated load generation and analysis of motion induced loads,
• stability – ensuring compliance with international vessel stability criteria,
• hull modeling – defining the hull geometry of marine vessels including FPSO vessels, drill ships, and installation vessels.

In addition, SACS’ ability to integrate with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s FAST wind turbine solver significantly strengthens its offshore wind turbine platform design functionality – complementing the wind turbine platform design solver that was introduced last year through integration with GH Bladed software. SACS 5.5 provides these wind turbine solvers for coupled analysis of wind, wave and turbine actions, and the consequent strength and fatigue design checks crucial to offshore wind turbine platforms.

SACS 5.5 also offers designers of fixed offshore platforms and topsides of floating platforms expanded support for international design codes, including the European EC3 steel design and ISO codes. Version 5.4, released earlier this year, initially added support for Eurocode 3 and Canada’s CSA S16, opening new business opportunities, speeding project turnarounds, and providing global users with confidence in design safety.

Santanu Das, Bentley vice president, design, simulation, and information modeling, said: “For more than 40 years, SACS has been the leading offshore structural analysis and design software for fixed oil and gas platforms. Since its acquisition by Bentley in March 2011, SACS has continued to find broader application, both for conventional oil and gas platforms and, now, the emerging offshore wind-power market. Ongoing enhancements to SACS offshore structural analysis and design software – such as SACS 5.5 capabilities that allow designers of fixed and floating offshore platforms to analyze wind and wave loads – continue to help drive further advancements in the creation of intelligent infrastructure for marine environments that is easier to construct, more efficient and safer to operate, and consumes less energy.”

[mappress]

Press release, November 29, 2012; Image: Bentley