Structural Design of the Charleston Tacts Platforms

This paper discusses structural design of eight offshore platforms that comprise a Tactical Aircrew Training System range located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Georgia. Design responsibility began with environmental and geotechnical investigations that are discussed in companion papers. These investigations supported functional and cost tradeoff studies from which a conventional pile-founded platform was selected as the preferred structural configuration for all eight sites. The tradeoff studies are summarized in this paper, along with special design considerations. Factors contributing to project success are discussed from the perspective of the design contractor.