Hydroelastic analysis of VLFS based on a consistent coupled-mode system and FEM

Abstract

Three models for the interaction of water waves with large floating elastic structures are analysed. The first model, based on the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, has already been extensively studied. The second is based on the Rayleigh beam equation. The third approach utilises the Timoshenko approximation and is thus capable of incorporating shear deformation and rotary inertia effects. A novelty of the proposed hydroelastic systems is the consistent local mode expansion of the underlying hydrodynamic field interacting with the floating structure, which leads to coupled-mode systems with respect to the modal amplitudes of the wave potential and the surface elevation. This representation is rapidly convergent to the solution of the full hydroelastic problem. The dispersion relations of these models are derived and analysed, supporting at a next stage the efficient development of finite element method solvers of the coupled system.