Numerical Model for Wave Motions and Loads of Multibody Floating Photovoltaic Structures

The aim of the proposed paper is to present and tune the model for the analysis of multiple connected floating bodies developed up to this point by comparing numerical results with available experimental data. Responses of multiple floating bodies to an incoming wave are defined by a system of linear (complex) equations. Connections between floating bodies are realized as stiffness forces defined inside the additional stiffness matrix. The matrix is then given as input to a standard seakeeping software for the linearized hydrodynamic calculations of floating bodies based on the potential theory and boundary element method (BEM). The obtained results are compared with the available experiments for cases of two and nine connected bodies. A satisfactory correlation between experimental and numerical results is observed for a part of the considered range. The presented research is a stepping stone in a development procedure for the multibody analysis for a large number of floating bodies using the existing well-tested numerical approaches to model hydrodynamics, adding as few modifications as possible.