Laboratory Investigation of Slamming Load Contribution of Plunging Breaker

Abstract

Plunging breakers could induce one of the most devastating forces on an offshore structure. As compared to non-breaking wave, a plunging breaker would induce an additional slamming load on an offshore structure. Current industry guidelines for design breaking wave slamming coefficient do not take into account of the geometric cross section of the offshore structures and the breaking wave parameters. The slamming load is affected by a few factors; the capability of the structure to entrap air upon the onset of plunging breakers, breaking wave parameter – rise time, just to name a few. This research paper attempts to expand the correlation of the slamming load coefficient to the geometric cross section of the section and the rise time of the impact breaking wave. It was found out that the geometrical cross section of cylinders do have significant impact on the slamming coefficient. The rise time of the plunging breaker does have an impact on the slamming load itself, but the impact the rise time had on the slamming coefficient is indistinctive.