Simulate the Dynamic Ocean Environment with OrcaFlex 11.6a

OrcaFlex 11.6a is the world's leading software for the dynamic analysis of offshore marine systems subjected to environmental loads from waves, wind, and currents. Developed by Orcina Ltd., it is an indispensable engineering tool used globally for the design, analysis, and integrity assessment of flexible risers, mooring systems, subsea pipelines, towed arrays, and other complex marine structures. By performing detailed time-domain simulations, OrcaFlex predicts the motions, forces, and stresses in these systems under operational and extreme conditions, ensuring their safety, reliability, and fitness-for-purpose throughout their lifecycle.

 Core Functional Capabilities of OrcaFlex 11.6a

• Integrated Time-Domain Dynamic Simulation
  Model the coupled response of entire floating systems. The software solves the equations of motion for vessels, lines (risers, moorings), and buoys simultaneously in the time domain, capturing nonlinear interactions, large displacements, and complex hydrodynamic loading (Morison's equation, diffraction/radiation for vessels).

• Comprehensive Library of Marine Objects
  Build realistic models from a wide range of specialized elements:

  • Lines: Model cables, chains, pipes, and umbilicals with bending stiffness.

  • Vessels: Include 6-degree-of-freedom vessel models with user-defined or pre-built RAOs (Response Amplitude Operators).

  • 3D Buoys & Special Items: Add buoys, truss structures, and contact elements for modeling interaction with the seabed (pipe-soil interaction) or other objects.

• Advanced Analysis for Critical Systems
  Perform specialized engineering analyses:

  • Riser Analysis: Assess fatigue life, extreme stress, interference, and slugging.

  • Mooring Analysis: Calculate line tensions, vessel excursions, and watch circles.

  • Marine Operations: Simulate installation (pipe lay, module placement), towing, and lifting operations to assess feasibility and risk.

• Powerful Result Visualization & Processing
  Analyze and interpret complex data. Visualize 3D animations of the system in motion, plot time histories of any variable (tension, stress, curvature), and perform statistical post-processing (maxima, minima, fatigue spectra) to extract key design values from stochastic simulations.

The OrcaFlex Standard in Offshore Engineering

The design of systems that must survive in the harsh offshore environment cannot rely on static approximations. OrcaFlex 11.6a provides the industry-accepted, high-fidelity dynamic simulation capability needed to predict real-world behavior with confidence. Its proven track record, continuous validation against model tests and field measurements, and deep integration into the workflow of oil & gas, renewable energy (floating wind), and marine engineering companies make it the de facto standard. For engineers tasked with ensuring multi-million dollar offshore assets are safe and functional, OrcaFlex is not just software—it is an essential engineering practice.