Multivariate extremes of the ocean environment driving extremes in responses for ocean-structure interactions.

My project uses multivariate extreme value theory and methods to model and make statistical inferences about the behaviour of the physical ocean environment, in order to aid the design of marine structures. Characterising the ocean environment requires jointly modelling the evolution of variables representing multiple components of ocean wave surfaces, currents and near-surface wind fields.

We are also interested in determining the forces induced on marine structures by the ocean environment. These environmental and structural loading variables often pose the greatest risk to structural integrity when their values are large. For this reason, we are most interested in modelling the behaviour of individual variables in their extremes, the extremal dependence between them, and their evolution during extreme events.

The project brings together a number of fields, including hydrodynamics and modelling of wave-structure interactions. Combined with extreme value analysis, expertise in these areas from Shell and the University of Western Australia will inform the development of statistical methodologies including environmental contour construction methods, which aim to characterise multivariate tails of distributions efficiently and informatively for improved marine design.

In partnership with Shell and the University of Western Australia.