A method to calculate the vertical force on a horizontal plate above still water level under the action of waves

Abstract

A method is investigated to calculate the vertical force on a horizontal plate above still water level under the action of waves in this paper. The wave uplift force is divided into buoyancy force and impact force. Based on the discrete finite element analysis method, the calculation formula of buoyancy force is given and the calculation formula of impact force under the action of regular waves is derived through impulse theory. Then, a formula is proposed to solve the additional mass of liquid impact on the plate. Taking model tests in literature as an example, two different approaches based on the Finite Element Method are presented to verify the calculation method. The comparative analysis shows that the results of the two methods are both consistent with the test results shown in the literature, computation theories of wave uplift force and calculation formula of added mass of impact liquid are verified. On the basis of verifying the calculation theories, the distributions of buoyancy and impact force on the horizontal plate, the time history curves of buoyancy and impact force of the differential element and the relationships between wave uplift forces and wave periods, wave height and plate clearances are discussed.