Rodrigo Daniel Álvarez Bello Martínez

This paper presents a comprehensive on-site decision-making framework for assessing the structural integrity of a jacket-type offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico, installed at a water depth of 50 m. Six critical analyses—(i) static operation and storm, (ii) dynamic storm, (iii) strength-level seismic, (iv) seismic ductility (pushover), (v) maximum wave resistance (pushover), and (vi) spectral fatigue—are performed using SACS V16 software to capture both linear and nonlinear interactions among the soil, piles, and superstructure. The environmental conditions include multi-directional wind, waves, currents, and seismic loads. In the static linear analyses (i, ii, and iii), the overall results confirm that the unity checks (UCs) for structural members, tubular joints, and piles remain below allowable thresholds (UC < 1.0), thus meeting API RP 2A-WSD, AISC, IMCA, and Pemex P.2.0130.01-2015 standards for different load demands. However, these three analyses also show hydrostatic collapse due to water pressure on submerged elements, which is mitigated by installing stiffening rings in the tubular components. The dynamic analyses (ii and iii) reveal how generalized mass and mass participation factors influence structural behavior by generating various vibration modes with different periods. They also include a load comparison under different damping values, selecting the most unfavorable scenario. The nonlinear analyses (iv and v) provide collapse factors (Cr = 8.53 and RSR = 2.68) that exceed the minimum requirements; these analyses pinpoint the onset of plasticization in specific elements, identify their collapse mechanism, and illustrate corresponding load–displacement curves. Finally, spectral fatigue assessments indicate that most tubular joints meet or exceed their design life, except for one joint (node 370). This joint’s service life extends from 9.3 years to 27.0 years by applying a burr grinding weld-profiling technique, making it compliant with the fatigue criteria. By systematically combining linear, nonlinear, and fatigue-based analyses, the proposed framework enables robust multi-hazard verification of marine platforms. It provides operators and engineers with clear strategies for reinforcing existing structures and guiding future developments to ensure safe long-term performance.

This paper presents a comprehensive on-site decision-making framework for assessing the structural integrity of a jacket-type offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico, installed at a water depth of 50 m. Six critical analyses—(i) static operation and storm, (ii) dynamic storm, (iii) strength-level seismic, (iv) maximum wave resistance (pushover), (v) seismic ductility (pushover), and (vi) spectral fatigue—are performed using SACS software to capture both linear and nonlinear interactions among the soil, piles, and superstructure. The environmental conditions include multi-directional wind, waves, currents, and seismic loads. In the static-linear analyses (i, ii, iii), the overall results confirm that the unity checks (UC) for structural members, tubular joints, and piles remain below allowable thresholds (UC < 1.0), thus meeting API RP 2A-WSD, AISC, IMCA, and Pemex P.2.0130.01-2015 standards for different load demands. However, these three analyses also show hydrostatic collapse due to water pressure on submerged elements, which is mitigated by installing stiffening rings in the tubular components. The dynamic analyses (ii, iii) reveal how generalized mass and mass participation factors influence structural behavior by generating various vibration modes with different periods. They also include a load comparison under different damping values, selecting the most unfavorable scenario. The nonlinear analyses (iv, v) provide collapse factors (Cr = 8.53 and RSR = 2.68) that exceed the minimum requirements; these analyses pinpoint the onset of plasticization in specific elements, identify their collapse mechanism, and illustrate corresponding load–displacement curves. Finally, spectral fatigue assessments indicate that most tubular joints meet or exceed their design life, except for one joint (node 370). This joint’s service life extends from 9.3 years to 27.0 years by applying a burr grinding weld-profiling technique, making it compliant with the fatigue criteria. By systematically combining linear, nonlinear, and fatigue-based analyses, the proposed framework enables a robust, multi-hazard verification of marine platforms. It provides operators and engineers with clear strategies for reinforcing existing structures and guiding future developments to ensure safe, long-term performance.

The structural system based on masonry walls is widely used in Mexico. Concrete block, one of its main components, exhibits significant variability in the material properties due to the frequent use of locally available resources for its production. Therefore, analyzing the physical properties of these blocks is essential. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted considering five proposed mix designs. The water-cement ratios evaluated were 0.32 and 0.75, while the cement-toaggregate ratios were 0.129, 0.135, and 0.159. The results indicate that both parameters significantly influence the compressive strength of the blocks, with higher strengths observed at lower water-cement ratios. Furthermore, the majority of the measured strengths exceeded the target value of 80 kg/cm².

In recent years, oil production in the México has decreased. As a result, there is a need for the installation of new offshore platforms, both in currently exploited fields and in future fields. Consequently, it is necessary to design, construct, and install platforms that optimize costs and reduce construction and installation times. To address this, the proposal involves the installation of these structures in segments, with connections made using bolted joint connections that are secure under in situ loading conditions. Under these loading conditions, analysis is conducted through finite element modeling, demonstrating appropriate behavior according to the requirements of current regulations. The implementation of this solution offers an alternative for the installation of offshore platforms, which largely depend on the availability of installation equipment with capacities exceeding 800 tons