Oblique focused wave group generation and interaction with a fixed FPSO-shaped body: 3D CFD simulations and comparison with experiments

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical study of oblique focused wave group generation and interaction with a fixed FPSO-shaped body, with thorough validations against available experimental data. The 3D numerical model is based on the open-source toolbox OpenFOAM®, where the oblique waves are generated using multiple virtual segmented wave paddles. The surface elevation and velocity profiles on each paddle are derived based on the snake principle, which mimics the behaviour of wave paddles in the physical wave tank. Numerical tests are firstly conducted for focused wave groups propagating obliquely in an empty wave tank using the proposed scheme. By analysis of the surface elevation, it is found that reasonably good quality of oblique wave fields can be generated in the central area of the wave basin. Furthermore, investigations are carried out on the effects of wave angles on the harmonic structures of the wave groups using the phase-inversion method. It is shown that while the wave angle has minor effects on the linear and second order harmonics, the third order harmonic is altered by the wave angles, albeit its magnitude is very small. Finally, to show the effectiveness of the numerical oblique wave generation method and the importance of the angle effects in the wave-structure interaction process, simulations are carried out for the oblique focused wave group interacting with a fixed FPSO-shaped body. The effects of the wave incidence angle are clearly shown from the comparison of the integrated wave forces between the cases with different wave propagating angles.