HYDROELASTIC THEORY FOR FLOATING PLATES OF VARIABLE FLEXURAL RIGIDITY

We present a theoretical model of the hydrodynamic behaviour of a floating flexible plate of variable flexural rigidity connected to the seabed by a spring/damper system. Decomposition of the response into natural modes allows us to investigate the hydroelastic behaviour of the plate subject to monochromatic incident free-surface waves. We show that spatially dependent plate stiffness affects the eigenfrequencies and modal shapes, with direct consequences on plate dynamics. We also examine how plate length and Power Take-Off distribution affect the response of the system and its consequent absorbed energy. This work highlights the need to improve existing models of flexible floating platforms, expecially given their importance in coastal and ocean engineering.