Time Series Simulations of Wide-Band Spectra for Fatigue Tests of Offshore Structures

A time-series simulation method, based on the principle of time series modeling for dynamic systems, is used to reproduce a wide-band stress history from a prescribed stress spectral model for fatigue testing of offshore structures. The optimization procedures and stability of the time series model for the prescribed spectrum are presented and discussed. The optimization procedures are developed on the basis of the Levison-Durbin algorithm, which usually produces a stable time series model if the order of the time series model is even. An example is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to long-time, high-cycle fatigue testing.