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Calculating Vessel RAO Response

This section outlines the basic principles underlining the operation of the Flexcom vessel RAO facility. The most important point to note is that the vessel RAO data refers exclusively to the attached vessel or vessels, and not to the structure being analysed. The data specified in each RAO file is used to define the motion of a reference point on the vessel. This is normally, but not necessarily, the vessel centre of gravity. This point need not correspond to any point on the actual structure, and indeed in most cases will not do so. The point or points on the structure to which the vessels are attached are specified as boundary nodes. The motion(s) of these points are calculated by the program from the vessel motions, without user intervention and automatically taking into account the effect of any spatial separation between the point(s) on the structure and the vessel reference point.

Further information on this topic is contained in the following sections:

•Relevant Inputs

•Vessel Degree of Freedom

•Vessel RAOs

•Wave Heading

•Flexcom Waves

•Miscellaneous