LAUSR

Abstract The effects of the elastic constraints simulating damaged and undamaged boundaries on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of ocean risers with a variable axial tension are investigated using the precise integration method (PIM). The classical high-order variable-coefficient partial-differential governing equation of the free vibration of ocean risers is reduced to a set of first-order ordinary differential equations and efficiently solved by the PIM. The main advantages of the PIM are that the numerical results can be calculated with high accuracy even when total element number n, number of iterations N and Taylor expansion terms r are small. Moreover, the computing time is quite short. Various boundary conditions are modeled as linear elastic constraints using a pair of translational and torsional springs, and four types of boundary damage coefficients are proposed to investigate the effects of a damaged boundary on the natural frequencies. The results for specific boundary conditions show agreement with those reported in the literature, and the calculation errors are very small in comparison with the analytical solution. Overall, the methodology of PIM is applicable for the investigation of the natural frequencies and mode shapes of ocean risers with a variable axial tension and cross-section and various boundary conditions.