Hydroelastic and expansibility analysis of a modular floating photovoltaic system with multi-directional hinge connections

Abstract

This paper focuses on the hydroelastic and expansibility analysis of a Modular Floating Structure (MFS) with multi-directional hinge connections designed specifically for Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems. The MFS incorporates both Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials. This study focuses on methodology, hydroelastic and expansibility analysis for the proposed MFS. Various parameters, including dimensionless structural parameters, module stiffness, module size, and wave parameters, are investigated. The hydroelastic analysis firstly reveals the distinct responses of the MFS to different stiffness values at notable wavelengths. Higher stiffness leads to more pronounced responsiveness, and the structure’s response amplifies with increasing stiffness. The investigation of module size indicates that smaller module sizes result in larger vertical displacement and smaller moments, while hydroelastic responses are relatively insensitive to module size in long waves. The hydroelastic analysis further explores the influence of wave angle on the MFS, demonstrating that internal forces become more critical with increasing wave angle. However, the difference in response due to wave angle diminishes in long waves. Additionally, the study investigates the expansibility of the MFS, determining the optimal number of modules for achieving maximum response. The MFS reaches its maximum response limit at a specific wavelength, and further module additions have limited impact on response improvement.