Assessment of Safety and Resilience of Offshore Structures under Extreme Sea Conditions

About this Research Topic

Background

Offshore structures constantly face threats from severe environmental forces—including strong winds, large waves, and earthquakes. These forces seriously endanger their ability to function safely, their structural strength, and their long-term durability. As offshore energy projects move into deeper oceans and tougher regions like the Arctic and typhoon zones, the need to improve structural resilience and create strong plans to reduce risks from multiple hazards is more critical than ever. Fortunately, major improvements in advanced computer modeling (like CFD and nonlinear FEM), large-scale testing facilities, and modern design approaches now give engineers better tools. These advances allow for more accurate predictions of how structures react to extreme stress, a clearer understanding of how damage builds up over time, and ultimately, the development of more reliable design and operating rules to protect these crucial assets against growing environmental challenges.

This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding of the structural behavior, safety, and resilience of offshore structures when subjected to extreme environmental loads, such as severe storms, high waves, earthquakes, and impacts from climate change. We invite contributions that investigate structural responses under extreme loading conditions, assess failure mechanisms (including progressive collapse and fatigue), and propose innovative design concepts, materials, and mitigation strategies to enhance robustness and recovery potential. Areas of interest span nonlinear dynamic analysis, fatigue life prediction, structural damping/isolation systems, complex soil-structure interaction, and damage accumulation modeling. Submissions leveraging advanced simulation techniques (e.g., high-fidelity CFD/FEM, AI, digital twins), experimental validation (large-scale testing, monitoring data), or novel materials (e.g., high-performance composites) are highly encouraged. Ultimately, this Topic seeks to foster the development of safer, more resilient offshore infrastructure capable of withstanding, adapting to, and rapidly recovering from escalating environmental and operational challenges.

We invite contributions addressing the design, analysis, safety, and resilience of offshore structures subjected to individual or combined environmental loads, including earthquakes, wind, waves, and currents. Relevant research themes encompass:

(1) Structural response analysis under extreme conditions

(2) Fatigue, fracture assessment, and damage tolerance

(3) Advanced load modeling and characterization

(4) Structural optimization and performance-based design methodologies

(5) Quantitative resilience assessment and enhancement strategies

Submissions may focus on fixed or floating structures, foundations, subsea components, or renewable energy systems (e.g., offshore wind platforms). We welcome original research, comprehensive reviews, in-depth case studies, and concise technical notes. Contributions incorporating experimental validation, field monitoring data, advanced numerical modeling (e.g., CFD, DEM, AI/ML), or interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., integrated geotechnical-structural analysis) are particularly encouraged.

This Research Topic aims to disseminate cutting-edge advances that deepen our understanding and significantly improve the safety, durability, and resilience of offshore infrastructure confronting increasingly severe environmental challenges.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Offshore structures, Structural resilience, Hydrodynamic modeling, wind-wave-current coupling effects, Extreme sea conditions

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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