Current Profile Data Form

Access the Current Profile Data form as follows:

Ensure that the Offshore license has been enabled.
Display the Define Loads form using either of the following methods:

Click the Define menu > Load Cases command.
Ensure that the Bridge Modeler license is enabled; display the Bridge Wizard; and then select the Analysis Cases item and click the Define/Show Loads button.

Specify a WAVE load Type and an Auto Lateral Load other than None and click the Add New Load button.
Highlight the name of the newly define load and click the Modify Lateral Load button to display the Wave Load form.
Click the Current Profile Add button, or select a previously defined profile definition from the drop-down list and click the Modify/Show button, to display the Current Profile Data form.

A Current Profile defines the velocity and direction of the current as a function of depth (from storm water level to the mud line elevation). By default, a wave load is specified to have no current profile.

Current Profile Name. Use the default or specify a new name in this edit box.
Current Blockage Factor edit box. Use the default or specify another value. The current blockage factor accounts for the reduction in current speed at the offshore platform that occurs because the platform causes the current flow to diverge. Typical current blockage factors range from 0.7 to 1.
Current Profile Stretching Option drop-down list. Two methods are provided to stretch (or compress) the current to the wave surface level at a given horizontal location. These methods are Linear and Nonlinear.
Number of Elevations edit box. Input the number of vertical elevations at which the current profile data is specified.
Current Profile Data spreadsheet. After a value has been specified in the Number of Elevations check box and the Enter key on the keyboard has been pressed or another text box on the form is clicked, the number of rows in the Current Profile Data spreadsheet will change to match the value specified in the Number of Elevations edit box.

Input the vertical elevation (measured from the datum), the current velocity and the current direction at each data point. The current direction is input as an angle in degrees measured counterclockwise from the positive global X axis. Enter the data in descending vertical elevation order. If necessary, click the Order Rows button to reorder the data in correct manner. Also note that the program will automatically order the data in descending vertical elevation order when you click the OK button to close the form.

If the top specified elevation is below the storm water level, the program assumes that the current profile data at the storm water level is the same as the data specified at the top specified elevation. Similarly, if the bottom specified elevation is above the mud line, the program assumes that the current profile data at the mud line is the same as the data specified at the bottom specified elevation.