On natural modes in moonpools with recesses

The theoretical model of Molin [6] is extended to the case of rectangular moonpools with one or two recesses, as can be found in some drillships. Obtained natural frequencies and modal shapes of the piston and first sloshing modes are compared with experimental results available in literature, with good agreement. An approximation easy to implement is proposed for the natural frequency of the piston mode. Further illustrative results are presented when some geometrical parameters of the moonpool are being varied.     

容器固有频率对液体晃荡的影响

针对矩形容器内液体晃荡问题,采用了时域高阶边界元方法建立自由水面满足完全非线性边界条件的数学模型。求解中采用混合欧拉-拉格朗日方法追踪流体瞬时水面,运用四阶龙格库塔方法更新下一时间步的波面和速度势。通过将计算得到的波面结果与实验数据、解析解和已发表结果对比,吻合良好,验证了本方法的准确性。进而采用谱分析方法分析了波面时间历程,得到容器各阶固有频率对液体晃荡的影响。研究发现,基频对液体晃荡的影响最大,且非线性越强,更高阶容器固有频率的影响越大。     

Finite element analysis of two-dimensional nonlinear sloshing problems in random excitations

A two-dimensional nonlinear random sloshing problem is analyzed by the fully nonlinear wave velocity potential theory based on the finite element method. A rectangular container filled with liquid subjected to specified horizontal random oscillations is studied. Both wave elevation and hydrodynamic force are obtained. The spectra of random waves and forces have also been investigated, and the effects of the peak frequencies and spectral width of the specified spectrum used for the generation of the random oscillations are discussed. It is found that the energy mainly concentrates at the natural frequencies of the container and is dominant at the ith order natural frequency when the peak frequency is close to the ith order natural frequency. Some results are compared between the fully nonlinear solutions, the linear solutions and the linear plus second-order solutions.     

Analysis and reversal of dry and hydroelastic vibration modes of stiffened plates

This work describes the theoretical modal analysis model for the stiffened bottom plate of a tank that is filled with fluid having an undisturbed free surface. In the analysis model, the effects of bending, transverse shear and rotary inertia in both the plate and the stiffener are considered. Analytical results concerning the natural frequencies of the stiffened plate correlate well with experimental modal testing (EMT) results for above the second mode. To overcome the complexities in the modal analysis of the fluid–structure interaction, the Mindlin plate theory and the potential flow theory are applied; the velocity potential is also expressed using double finite Fourier transforms. Additionally, a parametric study was also performed for eigenfrequencies of the plate with a stiffener, in terms of the ratio of the depth of the stiffener to the thickness of the plate and that of the width of the stiffener to the thickness of the plate. Analysis results revealed the phenomenon of “mode reversal”, i.e. the first and second mode shapes of the plate with a deep stiffener in contact with air and water, respectively, are reversed. An occurring condition of “mode reversal” is derived and verified by both finite element analysis and EMT.     

An alternative approach to the structural motion analysis of wedge-beam offshore structures supporting a load

For convenience of dynamic analysis, some offshore structures such as fixed-type platforms are often modeled as the wedge beams supporting tip lumped masses. It is well-known that, due to the effect of the surrounding water, the natural frequencies of a beam in air (or dry beam) are different from those of the same beam immersed in water (or wet beam). However, if the natural frequencies and the associated mode shapes of a dry beam are calculated by taking account of the “added mass” for the immersed beam, then the last natural frequencies and mode shapes will be equal to the corresponding ones of the wet beam. Based on the last concept, the closed form solutions for natural frequencies and the associated mode shapes of the dry beam were determined first, then the partial differential equation of motion for the wet beam was transformed into a matrix equation by using the expansion theorem and the foregoing closed form solutions of free vibration responses for the dry beam. Solving the last matrix equation will give the required natural frequencies and the associated mode shapes of the wet beam. The formulation of this paper is available for the fully or partially immersed double tapered beams with either circular, square or rectangular cross-sections. The taper ratio for width and that for depth may be equal or unequal. The numerical results of this paper were compared with the existing results or the finite-element-method results and good agreement was achieved.     

液舱三维晃荡运动二阶共振理论解及特性分析

从无旋运动的理论出发,并利用微扰法,推导了液舱三维晃荡运动二阶共振问题的理论解。考虑纵荡和横荡运动情况,对液舱三维晃荡二阶共振问题进行了分析。当两个晃荡方向的和频(即其外部激发频率的和)或差频(即其外部激发频率的差值)等于液舱固有频率时,二阶共振发生;当某一晃荡方向(横荡或纵荡)外部激发频率与另一晃荡方向(纵荡或横荡方向)液舱某一固有频率的和或差值等于液舱另一固有频率时,二阶共振也会发生。进一步研究了各个二阶共振激发频率下水深变化对晃荡振幅的影响。结果表明,对于两个晃荡方向外部激发频率的和频和单一晃荡方向(纵荡或横荡)某一个激发频率与另一晃荡方向(横荡或纵荡)某一个属于奇模的固有频率的和频所引发的共振情况,水深变化对共振振幅大小的影响比较大;而对于相应差频所引发的共振情况,水深变化对共振振幅大小的影响比较小。     

A modal approach to second-order analysis of sloshing using boundary element method

This paper aims at developing a modal approach for the non-linear analysis of sloshing in an arbitrary-shape tank under both horizontal and vertical excitations. For this purpose, the perturbation technique is employed and the potential flow is adopted as the liquid sloshing model. The first- and second-order kinematic and dynamic boundary conditions of the liquid-free surface are used along with a boundary element model which is formulated in terms of the velocity potential of the liquid-free surface. The boundary element model is used to determine the natural mode shapes of sloshing and their corresponding frequencies. Using the modal analysis technique, a non-linear model is presented for the calculation of the first- and second-order potential which can be used to obtain a reduced-order model for the sloshing dynamics. The results of the presented model are verified with the analytical solution for the second-order analysis of sloshing in a rectangular tank and very good results were obtained. Also, the second-order sloshing in some other example tanks with complex bed shapes is studied. The second-order resonance conditions of liquid sloshing in the example tanks are investigated and some conclusions are drawn.     

Harmonic generation by waves propagating over a submerged step

Harmonic generation by waves propagating over a two-dimensional submerged step is investigated. A nonlinear theory correct to second order is presented for steps of infinite and finite lengths subjected to single harmonic waves.The boundary value problem for the second-order scattered velocity potential is linearly decomposed into two separate boundary value problems, each having only one inhomogeneous boundary condition.Theoretical results indicate that the higher harmonics are generated in the shallow-water region over a step and then are transmitted to the deeper water as free waves.Numerical calculations compare favourably with existing experimental data.     

Internal wave signal processing: a model-based approach

A model-based approach is proposed to solve the oceanic internal wave signal processing problem that is based on state-space representations of the normal-mode vertical velocity and plane wave horizontal velocity propagation models. It is shown that these representations can be utilized to spatially propagate the modal (depth) vertical velocity functions given the basic parameters (wave numbers, Brunt-Vaisala frequency profile, etc.) developed from the solution of the associated boundary value problem as well as the horizontal velocity components. These models are then generalized to the stochastic case where an approximate Gauss-Markov theory applies. The resulting Gauss-Markov representation, in principle, allows the inclusion of stochastic phenomena such as noise and modeling errors in a consistent manner. Based on this framework, investigations are made of model-based solutions to the signal enhancement problem for internal waves. In particular, a processor is designed that allows in situ recursive estimation of the required velocity functions. Finally, it is shown that the associated residual or so-called innovation sequence that ensues from the recursive nature of this formulation can be employed to monitor the model's fit to the data     

Two phase modal analysis of nonlinear sloshing in a rectangular container

Sloshing, or liquid free surface oscillation, in containers has many important applications in a variety of engineering fields. The modal method can be used to solve linear sloshing problems and is the most efficient reduced order method that has been used during the previous decade. In the present article, the modal method is used to solve a nonlinear sloshing problem. The method is based on a potential flow solution that implements a two-phase analysis on sloshing in a rectangular container. According to this method, the solution to the mass conservation equation, with a nonpenetration condition at the tank walls, results in velocity potential expansion; this is similar to the mode shapes used in modal method. The kinematic and dynamic boundary conditions create a set of two-space-dimensional differential equations with respect to time. The numerical solution of this set of differential equations, in the time domain, predicts the time response of interfacial oscillations. Modal method solutions for the time response of container sloshing due to lateral harmonic oscillations show a good agreement with experimental and numerical results reported in the literature.     

A Study on Crack Detection with Modal Parameters of A Jacket Platform

Crack detection procedures by different modal parameters are analyzed for identitying a crack and its location and magnitude in a jacket plafform. The first ten natural frequencies and modal shapes of the jacket models are obtained by numerical experiments based on NASTRAN Code. A crack at different locations and of different magnitudes is imposed in the model at the underwater beams. Then, the modal evaluation parameters are calculated numerically, to illustrate the evaluation of modal parameter criteria used in jacket crack detection. The sensitivities of different modal parameters to different cracks are analyzed. A new technique is presented for predicting the approximate location of a breakage in the absence of the data of an intact model. This method can be used to detect a crack in underwater menbers by use of incomplete mode shapes of the top members of the jacket.     

Wave-induced surge motion of a tension leg structure

An analytical solution for the coupling problem of a two-dimensional tension leg structure interacting with a monochromatic linear wave train in an inviscid and incompressible fluid is presented. The tension legs are considered to be linearly elastic. The flow is further assumed to be irrotational and single-valued velocity potentials can then be defined.The boundary value problem is incorporated into a scattering and a radiation problem. The boundary value problems are then solved separately and combined to resolve all unknowns. The complete solutions of the velocity potentials are represented by the series of eigen-functions, and the surge motion of the structure is described in terms of the incident wave properties.The analytical solution is compared with a computer-coded numerical solution utilizing the boundary element method. The solutions agree very well, and both predict a resonant frequency for a specific structure which is different from the natural frequency of the structure due to the presence of the evanescent waves caused by the structure.     

Equatorially trapped Rossby waves in the presence of meridionally sheared baroclinic flow in the Pacific Ocean

TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data are analyzed for the 8.5-year period November 1992 to May 2001 to investigate the sea surface height (SSH) and geostrophic velocity signatures of quasi-annual equatorially trapped Rossby waves in the Pacific. The latitudinal structures of SSH and both components of geostrophic velocity are found to be asymmetric about the equator across the entire Pacific with larger amplitude north of the equator. The westward phase speeds are estimated by several different methods to be in the range 0.5-0.6 m s⁻¹. These observed characteristics are inconsistent with the classical theory for first vertical, first meridional mode equatorially trapped Rossby waves, which predicts a phase speed of about 0.9 m s⁻¹ with latitudinally symmetric structures of SSH and zonal velocity and antisymmetric structure of meridional velocity. The observations are even less consistent with the latitudinal structures of SSH and geostrophic velocity components for other modes of the classical theory.The latitudinal asymmetries deduced here have also been consistently observed in past analyses of subsurface thermal data and altimeter data and have been variously attributed to sampling errors in the observational data, a superposition of multiple meridional Rossby wave modes, asymmetric forcing by the wind, and forcing by cross-equatorial southerly winds in the eastern Pacific. We propose a different mechanism to account for the observed asymmetric latitudinal structure of low-frequency equatorial Rossby waves. From the free-wave solutions of a simple 1.5-layer model, it is shown that meridional shears in the mean equatorial current system significantly alter the potential vorticity gradient in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. The observed asymmetric structures of sea surface height and geostrophic velocity components are found to be a natural consequence of the shear modification of the potential vorticity gradient. The mean currents also reduce the predicted westward phase speed of first meridional mode Rossby waves, improving consistency with the observations.     

Hydroelastic Response of VLFS with An Attached Submerged Horizontal Solid/Porous Plate Under Wave Action

The hydroelastic responses of a submerged horizontal solid/porous plate attached at the front of a very large rectangular floating structure(VLFS) under wave action has been investigated in the context of linear water wave theory. Darcy's law is adopted to represent energy dissipation in pores. It is assumed that the porous plates are made of material with very fine pores so that the normal velocity across the perforated porous is linearly associated with the pressure drop. In the analytic method, the eigenfunction expansion-matching method(EEMM) for multiple domains is applied to solve the hydrodynamic problem and the elastic equation of motion is solved by the modal expansion method. The performance of the proposed submerged horizontal solid/porous plate can be significantly enhanced by selecting optimal design parameters, such as plate length, horizontal position, submerged depth and porosity. It is concluded that good damping effect can be achieved through installation of solid and porous plate.Porous plate has better damping effect at low frequencies, while solid plate has better damping effect at high frequencies. The optimal ratio of plate length to water depth is 0.25-0.375, and the optimal ratio of submerged depth to water depth is 0.09-0.181.     

Constant acceleration exit of two-dimensional free-surface-piercing bodies

The forced constant acceleration exit of two-dimensional bodies through a free-surface is computed for various 2D bodies (symmetric wedges, asymmetric wedges, truncated wedges and boxes). The calculations are based on the fully non-linear time-stepping complex-variable method of Vinje and Brevig (1981). The model was formulated as an initial boundary-value problem (IBVP) with boundary conditions specified on the boundaries (dynamic and kinematic free-surface boundary conditions) and initial conditions at time zero (initial velocity and position of the body and free-surface particles). The formulated problem was solved by means of a boundary-element method using collocation points on the boundary of the domain and stepped forward in time using Runge–Kutta and Hamming predictor–corrector methods. Numerical results for the deformed free-surface profile, pressure along the wetted region of the bodies and force experienced by the bodies are given for the exit. The analytical added-mass force is presented for the exit of symmetric wedges and boxes with constant acceleration using conformal mappings. To verify the numerical results, the added-mass force and the numerical force are compared and give good agreement for the exit of a symmetric wedge at a time zero (t = 0) as expected but only moderate agreement for the box.     

Wave sloshing in corrugated bottom tanks with two-dimensional flow

The boundary integral element method based on Green's formula is applied to the analysis of transient flow problem in corrugated bottom tanks. The problem is formulated as a two-dimensional linear, initial boundary value problem in terms of a velocity potential. The Laplace equation and the boundary conditions, except the dynamic boundary condition on the free surface, are transformed into an integral equation by the application of Green's formula. Finite Difference discretization is applied timewise. Initially a triangular wave on the free surface is assumed to be formed. The height of the triangular corrugated bottom is varied between 1/10 and 1/5 of the tank depth. The form of the free surface and the equipotential lines for the flow in the tank are presented at different time steps. An accuracy analysis is performed and distortion in time is considered. Proper coefficients for solutions are derived and presented. The results show that utilization of triangular corrugated bottoms may help to regulate the flow in tanks.     

Modal analysis of a fast patrol boat made of composite material

The structural dynamic behaviour of a fast patrol boat is studied with two- and three-dimensional idealizations for dry-hull analysis. A preliminary two-dimensional beam analysis is conducted by means of the Prohl-Myklestad method to derive a first estimate of the first four symmetric mode shapes. A more complex three-dimensional finite element model is developed in order to evaluate the modal characteristics for both symmetric and coupled anti-symmetric distortions, with the emphasis placed on the former.     

Long waves dissipation and harmonic generation by coastal vegetation

In this paper, we study the harmonic generation and energy dissipation as water waves propagating through coastal vegetation. Applying the homogenization theory, linear wave models have been developed for a heterogeneous coastal forest in previous works (e.g. [17], [10], [11]). In this study, the weakly nonlinear effects are investigated. The coastal forest is modeled by an array of rigid and vertically surface-piercing cylinders. Assuming monochromatic waves with weak nonlinearity incident upon the forest, higher harmonic waves are expected to be generated and radiated into open water. Using the multi-scale perturbation theory, micro-scale flows in the vicinity of cylinders and macro-scale wave dynamics are separated. Expressing the unknown variables (e.g. velocity, free surface elevation) as a superposition of different harmonic components, the governing equations for each mode are derived while different harmonics are interacting with each other because of nonlinearity in the cell problem. Different from the linear models, the leading-order cell problem for micro-scale flow motion, driven by the macro-scale pressure gradient, is now a nonlinear boundary-value-problem, while the wavelength-scale problem for wave dynamics remains linear. A modified pressure correction method is employed to solve the nonlinear cell problem. An iterative scheme is introduced to connect the micro-scale and macro-scale problems. To demonstrate the theoretical results, we consider incident waves scattered by a homogeneous forest belt in a constant shallow depth. Higher harmonic waves are generated within the cylinder array and radiated out to the open water region. The comparisons of numerical results obtained by linear and nonlinear models are presented and the behavior of different harmonic components is discussed. The effects of different physical parameters on wave solutions are discussed as well.     

Interaction of uniform current with a circular cylinder submerged below an ice sheet

The problem of a uniform current passing through a circular cylinder submerged below an ice sheet is considered. The fluid flow is described by the linearized velocity potential theory, while the ice sheet is modelled through a thin elastic plate floating on the water surface. The Green function due to a source is first derived, which satisfies all the boundary conditions apart from that on the body surface. Through differentiating the Green function with respect to the source position, the multipoles are obtained. This allows the disturbed velocity potential to be constructed in the form of an infinite series with unknown coefficients which are obtained from the boundary condition. The result shows that there is a critical Froude number which depends on the physical properties of the ice sheet. Below this number there will be no flexural waves propagating to infinity and above this number there will be two waves, one on each side of the body. When the depth based Froude number is larger than 1, there will always be a wave at far upstream of the body. This is similar to those noticed in the related problem and is different from that in the free surface problem without ice sheet. Various results are provided, including the properties of the dispersion equation, resistance and lift, ice sheet deflection, and their physical features are discussed.     

A comparison of several wave spectra for the random wave diffraction by a semi-infinite breakwater

A comparison of the diffraction of multidirectional random waves using several selected wave spectrum models is presented in this paper. Six wave spectrum models, Bretschneider, Pierson–Moskowitz, ISSC, ITTC, Mitsuyasu, and JONSWAP spectrum, are considered. A discrete form for each of the given spectrum models is used to specify the incident wave conditions. Analytical solutions based on both the Fresnel integrals and polynomial approximations of the Fresnel integrals and numerical solutions of a boundary integral approach have been used to obtain the two-dimensional wave diffraction by a semi-infinite breakwater at uniform water depth. The diffraction of random waves is based on the cumulative superposition of linear diffraction solution. The results of predicted random wave diffraction for each of the given spectrum models are compared with those of the published physical model presented by Briggs et al. [1995. Wave diffraction around breakwater. Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering—ASCE 121(1), 23–35]. Reasonable agreement is obtained in all cases. The effect of the directional spreading function is also examined from the results of the random wave diffraction. Based on these comparisons, the present model for the analysis of various wave spectra is found to be an accurate and efficient tool for predicting the random wave field around a semi-infinite breakwater or inside a harbor of arbitrary geometry in practical applications.