Hydroelastic Response of a Moored Interconnected Floating Platform under Current Loading

Abstract A novel analytical model, using the Timoshenko-Mindlin beam theory, is established to investigate wave-current interaction with a moored, interconnected, finite floating structure. Based on potential flow theory, the analytical solution is obtained by adopting the geometrical symmetry approach, the matching conditions, and the orthogonal condition in the open water zone. The convergence of the theoretical series solution on the reflection coefficient and structural displacement is demonstrated in table form. Further, the obtained wave quantity and vertical displacement are verified with analytical and experimental data sets. In addition, the hydroelastic response is investigated by analysing the combined impacts of current conditions, spring connectors, structural parameters, and water depths. It is examined that as the mooring stiffness and elastic modulus of the beam increase, the reflection coefficients become higher and the transmission coefficients exhibit the opposite trend. Whilst the impact of current behaviour reverses the observations of the effect of mooring stiffness and elastic modulus. In the case of structural displacements, for higher current velocities and lower values of vertical spring stiffness, the displacement increases, and it behaves consistently over approximately 60% of the IFS’s length. On the other hand, it is found that with lower rotational stiffness, the structure is more flexible, resulting in significant displacement. It is found that the spring connectors’ mechanics and wave-current conditions affect the hydroelastic response of the floating interconnected platform.