Analysis of Hydro-elastic Response of Pontoon-type VLFS Coupled with Floating Breakwaters Using a Higher-Order Boundary Element Method

Abstract

Ocean space utilization using VLFS(Very Large Floating Structures) can provide environmental impact free space by allowing sea water to flow freely below the floating structure. Use of Pontoon type VLFS for that purpose necessitates the construction of breakwaters for reduction of wave effects. Therefore, in order to maximize advantage of environmental impact free structure, the breakwater should allow water to flow through it. In this paper hydro-elastic response of a pontoon type structure is analyzed considering breakwaters which allow water flow through its opening at bottom of the structure. Mode superposition technique is used for solving equation of flexible body while interactions between the pontoon and breakwaters is considered based on the generalized mode concept. Bi-quadratic, nine-node, higher-order boundary element method is adopted for a more accurate numerical treatment near sharp edged body shape. The effects of various combinations of breakwaters are investigated.