Software tools calculating capacity and fatigue of offshore cables and umbilicals
Cable tools
Simplify and speed up the engineering tasks
200
%
Faster
To calculate capacity and fatigue life compared to FE-analysis
600
+
Offshore floaters worldwide
Including cables and flexible pipes compliant to motions
50
+
Years of validation
Against theory and operational data
All the software you need to optimize your structural design
Design high-performance power cables, umbilicals, and flexible pipes from initial concept to detailed structural analysis, all in accordance with DNV and other recognized standards. The software enables fast and flexible parametric studies, helping you optimize your design for both installation and long-term operation. Seamless integration with widely used commercial tools allows for efficient time-domain dynamic analysis, making it easier to develop safe, reliable subsea structures with greater design confidence.
Prove structural integrity during the operation phase and lifetime extension
Ensure long-term stability and performance by evaluating the structural integrity of cables, umbilicals, and flexible pipes—even under changing environmental or operational conditions. With software tools developed by DNV, you gain a reliable basis for extending service life and avoiding costly failures. Given that cable failures account for 80% of offshore wind insurance claims, using robust analysis software can significantly improve reliability and reduce operational risk in critical energy infrastructure.
Invest in a partner, not just software
When you choose DNV, you gain more than advanced software—you gain access to a global network of technical experts. Our solutions include built-in tutorials, expert support, training, and consulting, all rooted in decades of experience in subsea equipment design. Join strategic partnerships and Joint Industry Projects that drive cost efficiency and standardization. With DNV’s ongoing innovation, you can optimize, operate, and scale your subsea assets while maintaining safety and maximizing availability.
Our software tools
There are three different software products to support the design and operation of offshore power cables, umbilicals and flexible pipes. The tools for stability calculations are also applicable for submarine pipelines.
We have also created two packages to do design and operation of submarine pipelines: ‘DNV Pipeline Tools’ and ‘DNV Pipeline Stability’ based on what our existing customers use, making it easier to decide what’s right for you.
The DNV Subsea Toolkit is a digital implementation of relevant DNV service documents. They are built to support the design flow including project initiation, project basis and premises, material selection and wall thickness design, installation design and design for operation followed by lifetime operational phase.
The tools contain a main view where the input data is given, and main results are shown. There is also a reporting view aiming at easy views and sharing with stakeholders and verification purposes. Parameter studies are supported, and it is easy to set up and report batch runs with variables. Collaboration between partners is a seamless task by data exchange via structured text files.
All tools are verified by DNV to ensure they yield the same results as the formulas in the respective DNV service documents. This is a cost saving compared to making your own implementations of the formulas and verifying them over time. The software products are in daily operation by DNV’s production chain.
Software support is part of the license agreements. It is easy to learn the tools as they have a low threshold user interface, and the user documentation includes relevant examples. Technical support and training can also be provided and is given by DNV’s experts in the submarine pipeline domain. Free trials are also provided for you to familiarize yourself with the tools and their capabilities.
Software tool Helica
Easy to model, verify, run analysis and view the results
Helica is a tailor-made software for cross-sectional analysis of flexible pipes, umbilicals and power cables. It will do cross-sectional load sharing analysis, short-term fatigue analysis, long-term fatigue analysis and extreme analysis. Global response time series of curvature components and effective tension is required to perform fatigue and extreme capacity checks by Helica. These time series can be produced by e.g. Sesam Marine (Riflex), OrcaFlex and FlexCom. Helica is particularly known for its easiness in doing design iterations and outstanding speed in fatigue calculations.
Sample results from extreme analysis indicating that all results are within the capacity curves
Features:
Modelling, analysis set-up and results viewing from a graphical user interface
Efficient cross-section building and instant graphical verification of input
Short-term fatigue analysis to assess the fatigue damage in a stationary short-term environmental condition considering fatigue loading in terms of time-series of simultaneous bi-axial curvature and effective tension produced by global dynamic response analysis
Long-term fatigue analysis to assess the long-term fatigue damage by accumulation of all short-term conditions. The required input to this analysis is short-term conditions including probability of occurrence for each condition
Extreme analysis to evaluate the extreme cross-sectional utilization in one or several stationary environmental conditions.
Helica offers great advantages in time and cost, while delivering deep mechanical property insights and fatigue analysis support.
LS Cable & Systems
Software tool StableLines
StableLines is designed for on-bottom stability analysis of submarine pipelines, cables, and umbilicals, fully compliant with DNV-RP-F109. The tool helps determine the required minimum weight for stability under environmental loading using both absolute and generalized static methods. It supports a range of soil conditions, including sand, clay, or custom friction data, and enables effective decision-making in the early design phase.
Key features include:
Support for three lateral stability methods including absolute and generalized displacement approaches
Adaptability to various soil types through flexible soil data input
Parametric study capability to optimize stability and weight requirements
Software tool PILSS
PILSS enables advanced dynamic on-bottom stability analysis of submarine pipelines, cables, flexibles, and umbilicals, fully aligned with DNV-RP-F109. As a complement to StableLines, it offers realistic time-domain simulations that reduce conservatism found in simplified methods. By incorporating detailed seabed and hydrodynamic modeling, PILSS supports cost-efficient designs while maintaining safety and compliance.
Key features include:
Dynamic analysis using time-domain simulation for realistic wave and current interaction
Advanced soil modeling including sand, clay types, and friction-based models per DNV-RP-F114
Load-reduction capabilities from trenching, installation effects, and point-in-space modeling
The spreadsheet interface is a huge plus - simple, intuitive, and not overcomplicated
DEME
Questions & Answers
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Yes, you can trial the software products of the DNV Subsea Toolkit. All usage shall be of non-commercial nature.
Yes, academic licenses are offered to universities on highly favourable terms. Academic licences are to be used for educational and non-commercial research projects only.
DNV offers department or university licences only (not on an individual student's). Please liaise with your professor and contact us to discuss.
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We’ve created a product brochure of the DNV Subsea Toolkit complementing the information herein. It lists the main capabilities of each individual software product.
For additional capabilities/software product please contact us.
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Prices for the individual software products and packages can be found from the Veracity Marketplace. This is also the digital platform for buying the DNV Subsea Toolkit.
If you need an enterprise agreement, please contact us.
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The software products of the DNV Submarine Toolkit can be bought from the Veracity Marketplace.
If you need an enterprise agreement, please contact us.
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All software products and packages come with easy-to-do installation set-up and a guideline on how to do. You need to have administration rights when installing the software products, but not when you use them.
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All software products includes user documentation with relevant examples. This will get you quickly into production using the software products. In addition, there are open training courses in the usage of the software products.
Customized training can also be delivered, please contact us if this is relevant for you.
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Customers with a valid license agreement get support from mysoftware.dnv.com.
