Abstract
This paper investigates the effectiveness of floating breakwaters consisting of two barges (L-shape), three barges (U-shape), four barges (barge frame), and conventional single floating breakwater. The floating breakwaters of different spatial layouts have sheltered internal gaps/moonpools when compared to their conventional counterparts. The motions of these floating breakwaters and their effectiveness in wave transmission and motion reduction of the protected floating bodies are evaluated. The study is conducted based on a subsystem of a floating hydrocarbon storage facility that combines a floating breakwater with two floating tanks, studied previously. Numerical models based on linear potential flow theory are built for these floating breakwaters with and without the floating tanks. The numerical models of the barge frame are validated through laboratory experiments, and the dipole damping lids to reduce the resonant fluid motions in the gaps/moonpools are calibrated with experimental results. The L-shape floating breakwater is found effective in reducing wave transmissions without the presence of the floating tanks, while the barge frame is the most effective in the motion reduction of the floating tanks. In addition, significant fluid resonant motions are identified for all investigated floating breakwaters, including the conventional one. Orienting the structure obliquely can improve the performance of the floating breakwaters of special configurations, especially the barge frame. The results and findings show the importance of considering the protected floating structures in the analysis when designing floating breakwaters for many types of marine structures, including floating fish farms and floating cities in coastal waters.
Highlights
Climate change has led to sea level rise over the past decades
Note that the response amplitude operator (RAO) of free surface elevations are, the wave transmission factors for different wave frequencies, and a smaller RAO indicates a better performance of floating breakwater
Effectivenessthrough of the floating breakwaters is evaluated for thehydrocarbon cases, with and without the
Summary
Climate change has led to sea level rise over the past decades. Sea level rise may threaten the coastal region of many countries, such as Singapore. The hydrodynamic interactions between floating breakwaters and the protected floaters and fluid resonant motions can be significant, which influence the motions of both floaters Such phenomena were identified from a numerical and experimental study by the authors on a subsystem of a novel floating hydrocarbon storage facility in coastal waters [22]. The study has revealed the importance of hydrodynamic couplings, but the effectiveness of the barge frame on the motion reduction of the floating tanks is not well assessed It is not clear how effective the barge frame is when compared to the conventional floating breakwater and breakwaters with different spatial configurations. The effectiveness of floating breakwaters of three special configurations (including barge frame, L-shape, and U-shape), with and without the floating tanks, will be further investigated.
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