Sesam – HydroD Tutorial

How to generate a section model

for a semi-submersible in HydroD
The purpose of this document is to describe how to use the various tools available in
HydroD for creating and editing section models for a semi-submersible. This
includes:
• Using the FEM model slicer
• Direct creation of section curves
• Sorting of section curves and points on curves
• Editing of curves
• Merging of patches
For a general description of the section model see the HydroD user manual.
The panel model used in this tutorial can be found in
UserExamples/Plntools/inp/half_leg_T1.FEM
UserExamples/Plntools/inp/half_pontoon_T1.FEM
These models are generated in GeniE, with a clean js file found at
GeniE V**-*\Examples\A7_Semisub_Complete
The element length defined in Mesh property in GeniE can be set smaller, for
example 1 meter, in order to generate a panel model with a fine mesh. Such a
panel model with fine mesh distribution will make generation of section curves
easier, as shown afterwards.

Since the semi-submersible is

symmetric both in YZ plane and XZ
planes, only one eighth of the
geometry is necessary to be generated.
Panel models generated in GeniE are
now shown to the left.

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One section model contains one or more patches. Each patch contains at least two
section curves. Each section curve contains at least two points.
Before a section model is generated, it is necessary for the user to observe the
topology of the geometry. The geometry of one eighth of the whole semi-
submersible structure is shown as below (only pontoon and leg parts are shown
here). It can be shown from the figure below that we can divide the geometry into
several parts based on the feature of the local geometry.
This geometric model includes one leg and one pontoon. The leg part is a kind of
rotating geometry. Pontoon includes a “bow” part, which is similar to a rotating
geometry. The overlapping part between the pontoon and the leg forms a circle curve
at the bottom of the leg and on the top of the pontoon. The corresponding part on the
body of the pontoon is called “hole” in the figure. After the “hole” part of pontoon
comes the “middle” part, which holds a regular shape.
Based on the geometry of this structure, it is decided to divide the structure into the
following three patches:
1. Patch_pontoon: including “bow”, “hole” and “middle” parts
2. Patch_top: top patch over the “middle “ part of the pontoon
3. Patch_leg: the leg part

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Create a new workspace in HydroD.

Generate two HydroModels.

Read two panel models, generated in GeniE, into

two Hydro Models respectively since only one
Panel model is allowed in each Hydro Model.
PanelModel1: half_leg_T1.FEM
PanelModel2: half_pontoon_T1.FEM
Now both PanelModel1 and PanelModel2 are
shown as below, if visible eyes are opened.

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Generate the third HydroModel, i.e.

HydroModel3, in which we will generate
the section model.
Right click on HydroStructure3 under
HydroModel3 and select New section
model.
We select Create from scratch and XZ-
plane symmetry. If you have any existing
pln file, you can select Read File.

SectionModel1 is now generated and

shown under HydroModel3.
Right click on PlnPatches under
SectionModel1, we select Auto create
patch geometries. This will lead you to
use tool of FEM Slicer provided by
HydroD. If you want to generate a
patch by directly picking up the points
from FEM model, you can choose New
Patch.

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Generate patch on leg

We now will illustrate how to use FEM

slicer, a tool provided by HydroD, to
generate the first patch of leg.

Select File Model Slicer.

Select PanelModel1, i.e. panel model for
the leg part.
The leg part can be easily achieved by using of the radial plane filling tool.
Here you need to specify the starting cut, a point of rotation, the rotation axis (normally the z-axis)
and the rotation angle and step. Then a sequence of cuts are created all of which pass through the
rotation point.
If you want to make use of graphical selection
make sure that this is activated.

First select the rotation point. Then select the direction of the first plane. By pointing to the
two bars at the right hand side of the menu an additional dialogue pops up. The most
convenient option is the two points option. Both of these two points can be selected
graphically as shown. (These fields are automatically updated with graphical selection so
you do not need to use the Visual Clipboard).

Finally fill in the total rotation angle and the step between each plane. Rotation axis vector
is OK by default.

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After completing the steps shown on the

previous page you press Add planes to grid to
define the cuts according to specification. OK
or Apply then Cancel. Close the eye on
PanelModel1, we can see the first patch with
a set of section curves shown on the screen.

Kindly remind you of saving often.

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Rename the first patch as Patch_leg.

Edit the property of Patch_leg. In order to define the patch, first

we have to Allow edit. Set the patch type as
PartiallyWetPortside. Then use function of Auto Order to
automatic the ordering of curves according to the rules in
HydroD. Click on OK.

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Create a mesh on this patch to check the quality. Right click

on SectionModel1 and select New Mesh.

Input a z-waterline value, such as 5 meter. Select NoBowSternIntersection. Leave all

the left as default.
The mesh on leg is now shown to the right.

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Generate patches on pontoon

Select the PlnPatches folder under

SectionModel1 and then select Auto create
patch geometries from the RMB menu on the
folder to generate a new patch.

In the menu that comes up specify Patch name prefix and patch type. Select File Model
Slicer and Select the file model (PanelModel2) that is to be used:

The cut planes are then defined in the table in the dialogue. This can be done directly or by using
the tools above the table. The cut plane is defined by specifying a point on the plane and the
normal vector. The bow and stern curves need not to be defined. They are automatically created if
the tick box Add bow and stern curve is checked.
The curves on the patch must be given from bow to stern so we will create them in this order. (If
this is not done it is possible to sort them afterwards.)

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A set of section curves on this patch will be shown as below on the screen:

It can be clearly seen from the figure above that the “middle” part is rather linear and
regular, which means less curves are needed to define the geometry.
The “bow” part is not well described by such curves which should be improved.
It is also noticed that between “hole” part and “middle” part, we have a discontinuity
because of existence of the bottom of the leg. This problem can be avoided by separate the
“top” part from the pontoon body patch.

Generate the patch on top

We then create the other patch, named as Patch_top before we improve the mesh around
the bow.

Create a new patch in this SectionModel1.

Define the patch name Patch_top and leave
patch type as default.

Close the eye on all the Hydro Models except

HydroModel2, allowing panel model on
pontoon visible.
It will be demonstrated on how to create
section curves by directly picking up points
from a panel model.

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Create a new section curve on the current patch, i.e.

Patch_top.
Simply pick up the points along the curve around the
bottom of the leg. These 8 points will automatically
appear on the left window. Click on Apply. A section
curve is shown.

Define more section curves in the same way as described before and a set of section curves now
are defined.
Then we can mesh both Patch_top and Patch_leg to check the mesh quality. Use the same
SectionHullMesh1 but leave MyPrefix_Patch unmeshed.

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Generate patches on pontoon

Change the name of the patch on pontoon from
MyPrefix_patch to Patch_pontoon.

Edit and Define the patch by setting patch type and

then Auto Order.

Since the “middle” part of the geometry is rather linear and regular, we do not need many curves
on that part. Therefore we can delete some of section curves.

Select multi section curves by CTRL+LMB,

then delete these curves.

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The section curves at “middle” part should be modified since the top part of pontoon has already
been defined by Patch_top.
Allow both PanelModel2 and Patch_pontoon visible. Highlight one section curve on
Patch_pontoon, in the “middle” part of the geometry and Edit with click on RMB.

You can manually input the coordinate of the

point to be modified, i.e. the last point on
this section curve. Here we simply take the
closest end point on panel model.
This also demonstrates that a fine mesh on
panel model is helpful to snap the points.

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Repeat the same procedures for more curves at “middle” part and we get the following curves.

Remesh on SectionHullMesh1 and you will get

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Generate a temporary patch on bow

Delete the section curves close to the “bow” part
contained in Patch_pontoon.
We will generate a new patch with better section
curves around “bow” part by using of Radial
planes in Fem Model Slicer.

Select PanelModel2. Allow Add bow and stern curves. Add planes to grid and then OK.Edit the
patch which has just been created. Set patch type PartiallyWetPortSide and Auto Order. Order the
section curve by clicking on “index” and delete the last curve, i.e. curve with index of 11.

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Allow both panel models visible. We want more

points on the top of the pontoon’s bow part. These
points can be added into section curves by picking up
the points from panel model.
Then select the first section curve and Edit.
Allow edit. Then click on the last row (row 10). Pick
up the point on the panel model of pontoon and
coordinates of this point will appear on current row.
Add more points in the following rows. If OK or
Apply, you should be able to find the curve as below.

In turn edit the curves in this patch and

you will find section curves as shown to
the right.

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We will merge this temporary patch with Patch_pontoon.

The easiest way is to copy these curves into
Patch_pontoon.
Select all the curves on this patch and select Copy with
RMB.
Select Patch_pontoon and in the middle window which
contains section curves on Patch_pontoon. Paste curves
here.
After these curves are copied, the patch we used for
generating these curves can be deleted.
Edit Patch_pontoon and Auto order the curves. OK.

After merging this two patches, it is necessary to review all the section curves to make sure
all the curves are moving from bow to stern direction.

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It is noticed that a curve with index number 10 is

between curve 11 and 12. We can get rid of this
problem either making curve number 10 inactive
or simply delete it.

Edit curve number 10 and make it inactive or delete it.

Remesh and get the mesh as right.

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Mirror the patches

After generating one eighth of the semi-submersible, we can create the symmetric patches by
use of mirroring the existing patches.
Based on the geometry of semi-submersible, we need to mirror these three patches both on YZ
plane and XZ plane. We first show how to mirror these patches on YZ plane.

Select all the patches under folder of PlnPatches. Right

click on RMB and choose Mirror patches.
Select Plane: GeoEnumsYZPlane.
Select Mirror point as shown on the right figure below.
Before clicking OK remember to select those patches that
are to be mirrored (all patches for this case).

Under folder of PlnPatches, you can find both original and mirrored patches now. You can
also find the patches shown as figure on the right.

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merging mirrored patchs can be done by copy and paste then auto sort
Merging patches on Pontoon, i.e. Patch_pontoon and Mirror_patch_pontoon. Select all the
section curves in Mirror_patch_pontoon and select Copy.

Then select Patch_pontoon and right click on RMB. Paste curves into this patch.
Edit Patch_pontoon and Auto order all the curves.
All the curves in Patch_pontoon now can be found.
Delete patch called Mirror_patch_pontoon.

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In the same way, we can merge Patch_top and Mirror_Patch_top into one patch. You can find
the merged patch_top with section curves shown as right.
Delete patch named as Mirror_Patch_top.

Remesh all the patches and you will find the mesh shown as below.

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Now we mirror the existing patches around XZ planes.

Now you get half of the full semi-submersible geometry. The mirrored patches are shown
on the screen.

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It is also found that the patch type of the patches mirrored with XZ plane are automatically
modified by HydroD as Partially wet, starboard side.

After remeshing on all the patches, we get the final mesh on semi-submersible.

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Export of pln-file from HydroD

HydroD do not have any direct command for exporting the section model to a pln-
file. However, when you create a mesh the pln-file to be meshed is written by
HydroD.
When you create a SectionHullMesh (i.e. using the Mesh command on the Section
model) the pln-file will be in a folder with the HydroModel name (HydroModel3 in
this example).
When you create a SectionMesh (i.e. using the Mesh command on a Setup activity or
a Wasim activity) the pln-file will be in the working directory for that activity.

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