Abstract
The structural complexity of submarine power cables (SPCs) presents significant challenges in their local mechanical analysis. This paper introduces an advanced modeling method developed for analyzing the mechanical behavior of SPCs under tension, emphasizing both accuracy and efficiency. The method’s accuracy is validated through a comparison of simulation results with tension tests conducted on a three-core SPC sample. Efficiency is demonstrated by the superior calculation speed of our model relative to traditional full-scale models. This improved performance is achieved by adopting periodic boundary conditions derived from the homogenization method applied to slender beam-like structures, and by employing a specialized combination of elements to model the helical metal components within the SPCs. The resulting model provides robust capabilities for the mechanical analysis of SPCs under tension and demonstrates significant possibility in accommodating various other loadings.
•A modeling method employing the repeated unit cell (RUC) technique and simplified elements is proposed to perform the tension analysis of submarine power cables (SPCs).•Full-scale tension experiments on a three-core SPC are conducted, with test curves provided to validate the proposed model.•A comprehensive full-scale numerical model with appropriate boundary conditions is developed to verify the proposed model.•The proposed model incorporates the impact of the helical shape of all helical components in the three-core SPC.