Showing papers in "Ocean Engineering in 2002"

Nonlinear modeling of liquid sloshing in a moving rectangular tank

Abstract: A nonlinear liquid sloshing inside a partially filled rectangular tank has been investigated. The fluid is assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic, viscous, Newtonian and exhibit only limited compressibility. The tank is forced to move harmonically along a vertical curve with rolling motion to simulate the actual tank excitation. The volume of fluid technique is used to track the free surface. The model solves the complete Navier–Stokes equations in primitive variables by use of the finite difference approximations. At each time step, a donor–acceptor method is used to transport the volume of fluid function and hence the locations of the free surface. In order to assess the accuracy of the method used, computations are verified through convergence tests and compared with the theoretical solutions and experimental results.

Application of artificial neural networks in tide-forecasting

Abstract: An accurate tidal forecast is an important task in determining constructions and human activities in ocean environments. Conventional tidal forecasting has been based on harmonic analysis using the least squares method to determine harmonic parameters. However, a large number of parameters are required for the prediction of a long-term tidal level with harmonic analysis. Unlike conventional harmonic analysis, this paper presents an artificial neural network (ANN) model for forecasting the tidal-level using the short term measuring data. The ANN model can easily decide the unknown parameters by learning the input-output interrelation of the short-term tidal records. Three field data with three types of tides will be used to test the performance of the proposed ANN model. The numerical results indicate that the hourly tidal levels over a long duration can be predicted using a short-term hourly tidal record.

Analysis of freak wave measurements in the Sea of Japan

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of a set of available freak wave measurements gathered from several periods of continuous wave recordings made in the Sea of Japan during 1986–1990 by the Ship Research Institute of Japan. The analysis provides an ideal opportunity to catch a glimpse of the statistics of freak waves in the ocean. The results show that a well-defined freak wave may occur in the developed wind–wave condition: S ( f )∝ f −4 , with single-peak directional spectra. The crest and trough amplitude distributions of the observed sea waves including freak waves are different from the Rayleigh distribution, although the wave height distribution tends to agree with the Rayleigh distribution. Freak waves can be readily identified from the wavelet spectrum where a strong energy density occurs in the spectrum, and is instantly surged and seemingly carried over to the high-frequency components at the instant the freak wave occurs.

Neural network for wave forecasting among multi-stations

Abstract: Unlike in the open sea, the use of wind information for forecasting waves may encounter more ambiguous uncertainties in the coastal or harbor area due to the influence of complicated geometric configurations. Thus this paper attempts to forecast the waves based on learning the characteristics of observed waves, rather than the use of the wind information. This is reported in this paper by the application of the artificial neural network (ANN), in which the back-propagation algorithm is employed in the learning process for obtaining the desired results. This model evaluated the interconnection weights among multi-stations based on the previous short-term data, from which a time series of waves at a station can be generated for forecasting or data supplement based on using the neighbor stations data. Field data are used for testing the applicability of the ANN model. The results show that the ANN model performs well for both wave forecasting and data supplement when using a short-term observed wave data.

Analysis of Wells turbine design parameters by numerical simulation of the OWC performance

Abstract: This paper investigates by numerical simulation the influence of the Wells turbine aerodynamic design on the overall plant performance, as affected by the turbine peak efficiency and the range of flow rates within which the turbine can operate efficiently. The problem of matching the turbine to an oscillating water column (OWC) is illustrated by taking the wave climate and the OWC of the Azores power converter. The study was performed using a time-domain mathematical model based on linear water wave theory and on model experiments in a wave tank. Results are presented of numerical simulations considering several aerodynamic designs of the Wells turbine, with and without guide vanes, and with the use of a bypass pressure-relief valve.

Mathematical models for ship path prediction in manoeuvring simulation systems

Abstract: The problem of simulating the ship manoeuvring motion is studied mainly in connection with manoeuvring simulators Several possible levels of solution to the problem with different degrees of complexity and accuracy are discussed It is shown that the structure of the generic manoeuvring mathematical model leads naturally to two basic approaches based respectively on dynamic and purely kinematic prediction models A simplified but fast dynamic manoeuvring model is proposed as well as two new advances in kinematic prediction methods: a prediction based on current values of velocities and accelerations and a method of anticipating the ship's trajectory in a course changing manoeuvre

An investigation of breaker heights, shapes and pressures

Abstract: The shape of breaking waves has a significant effect on wave impact pressures on vertical sea walls. In order to refine the results of previous researchers, a systematic study of breaker shapes and wave impact pressures on a vertical wall using a newly developed experimental technique, sequential flash photography, was conducted at Queen's University of Belfast. Assumptions, like the existence of a vertical flip-through jet or a parallel face impact, could not be confirmed. The maximum pressure was found to occur for plunging breakers and at Still Water Level (SWL), although high pressures can also occur for other breaker types above or below SWL.

Analytical and experimental investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of onshore wave-power devices

Abstract: The hydrodynamic performance of the oscillating water column type shoreline-mounted wave-power device is numerically studied within linear wave theory by using a boundary element method based on the Wehausen and Laitone 3D shallow water Green's function. In order to verify the numerical model, a 1:12 physical model with different bottom slopes was constructed and tested in a wave basin under regular wave conditions. The effects of the bottom slope on the hydrodynamic performance are investigated by both analytical and experimental methods.

Simulating typhoon waves by SWAN wave model in coastal waters of Taiwan

Abstract: The SWAN wave model is typically designed for wave simulations in the near-shore region and thus is selected for evaluating its applicability on typhoon waves in the coastal waters around Taiwan Island. Numerical calculations on processes of wave heights and periods during the passages of four representative typhoons are compared with measured data from field wave stations on both east and west coasts. The results have shown that waves due to typhoons of paths 2, 3 and 4 can be reasonably simulated on east coastal waters. However, discrepancies increase for the simulated results on west coastal waters because the island's central mountains partly damage the cyclonic structures of the passing-over typhoons. It is also found that the included nested grid scheme in SWAN could improve the accuracy of simulations in coastal waters to facilitate further engineering practices.

Dynamic behaviour of square and triangular offshore tension leg platforms under regular wave loads

Abstract: Among compliant platforms, the tension leg platform (TLP) is a hybrid structure. With respect to the horizontal degrees of freedom, it is compliant and behaves like to a floating structure, whereas with respect to the vertical degrees of freedom, it is stiff and resembles a fixed structure and is not allowed to float freely. The greatest potential for reducing costs of a TLP in the short term is to go through previously applied design approaches, to simplify the design and reduce the conservatism that so far has been incorporated in the TLP design to accommodate for the unproven nature of this type of platform. Dynamic analysis of a triangular model TLP to regular waves is presented, considering the coupling between surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. The analysis considers various nonlinearities produced due to change in the tether tension and nonlinear hydrodynamic drag force. The wave forces on the elements of the pontoon structure are calculated using Airy's wave theory and Morison's equation, ignoring the diffraction effects. The nonlinear equation of motion is solved in the time domain using Newmark's beta integration scheme. Numerical studies are conducted to compare the coupled response of a triangular TLP with that of a square TLP and the effects of different parameters that influence the response are then investigated.

Compressibility behaviour of lime-treated marine clay

Abstract: The necessity to tap natural marine resources from the ocean beds represents a considerable challenge for the construction of offshore structures on weak marine deposits. The use of lime to improve the behaviour of soft clays is not new. The present investigation examines lime-induced changes in the compressibility of marine clay. The test results indicate a reduction of 1/2 to 1/3 in the compressibility of the soil system within 30 to 45 days of treatment. The formation of various cementation compounds due to soil–lime reactions improves the soil characteristics with time. The results encourage the application of lime column and lime injection techniques to improve the engineering behaviour of soft marine clayey deposits. However, one has to be cautious in applying the lime technique to marine clays that contain sodium sulfate.

Wave interaction with T-type breakwaters

Abstract: The wave transmission, reflection and energy dissipation characteristics of partially submerged `T'-type breakwaters ( Fig 1 Download : Download high-res image (120KB) Download : Download full-size image Fig 1 Schematic view of the T-type breakwater ) were studied using physical models Regular and random waves, with wide ranges of wave heights and periods and a constant water depth were used Five different depths of immersions of the `T'-type breakwater were selected The coefficient of transmission, Kt, coefficient reflection, Kr, were obtained from the measurements and the coefficient of energy loss, Kl is calculated using the law of conservation of energy It is found that the coefficient of transmission generally reduces with increased wave steepness and increased relative water depth, d/L This breakwater is found to be effective closer to deep-water conditions Kt values less than 035 is obtained for both normal and high input wave energy levels, when the horizontal barrier of the T type breakwater is immersed to about 7% of the water depth This breakwater is also found to be very efficient in dissipating the incident wave energy to an extent of about 65% (ie Kl>08), especially for high input wave energy levels The wave climate in front of the breakwater is also measured and studied

Latching control of deep water wave energy devices using an active reference

Abstract: This paper investigates latching type control on a floating wave energy converter in deep water. An on-board, actively controlled motion-compensated platform is used as a reference (‘active reference’) for power absorption and latching. A variational formulation is used to evaluate an optimal control sequence in the time domain. Time domain simulation results are presented for a heaving buoy in small-amplitude waves. Results are compared with an equivalent system where latching and power absorption are from a sea-bottom-fixed reference.

A finite element method for dynamic analysis of long slender marine structures under combined parametric and forcing excitations

Abstract: This paper presents a numerical analysis of lateral responses of a long slender marine structure under combined parametric and forcing excitations. In the development of the 3-D numerical program, a finite element method is implemented in the time domain using the Newmark constant acceleration method. Some example studies are performed for various water depths, environmental conditions and vessel motions. The relative amplitudes of combined excitations to a conventional forcing excitation are examined. The response amplitude of a combined excitation is much greater than that of a forcing excitation in the even number of instability regions of the Mathieu stability chart. The results demonstrate that a combined excitation needs to be considered for the accurate dynamic analysis of long slender marine structures subjected to a surface vessel motion.

Three-dimensional Lump-Mass formulation of a catenary riser with bending, torsion and irregular seabed interaction effect

Abstract: A three-dimensional Lump-Mass formulation of a catenary riser, capable of handling irregular seabed interaction, with bending and torsional stiffness is presented in this paper. This formulation uses only three degrees of translational freedom and one independent torque variable for each computational node. The generality of the present formulation permits static and dynamic analyses of a wide range of offshore-related slender structure systems such as mooring cables, rigid and flexible risers as well as submarine pipelines. Four sets of results are presented for (i) a hanging catenary, (ii) as (i) but subjected to end torsion, (iii) a wire, chain and spring buoy mooring and (iv) a steel catenary riser on an irregular seabed.

Damage identification in a ship’s structure using neural networks

Abstract: Visual inspection of large and complex structures such as a ship is difficult and costly due to problems of accessibility. In this paper, a neural network technique is developed for identifying the damage occurrence in the side shell of a ship’s structure. The side shell is modeled as a stiffened plate. The input to the network is the autocorrelation function of the vibration response of the structure. The response was obtained using a finite element model of the structure. The output is a single function G r z r , z r , which was formed by adding together the damping and a part of the restoring forces. The function is used to identify not only the damage occurrence in the model but also its extent and location. The results show that the method presented in this work is successful in identifying the occurrence of damage. The detection of the extent and location of damage is promising, however, more work has to be done in this area.

Diffusion reduction in an arbitrary scale third generation wind wave model

Abstract: The numerical schemes for the geographic propagation of random, short-crested, wind-generated waves in third-generation wave models are either unconditionally stable or only conditionally stable. Having an unconditionally stable scheme gives greater freedom in choosing the time step (for given space steps). The third-generation wave model SWAN (“Simulated WAves Nearshore”, Booij et al., 1999 ) has been implemented with this type of scheme. This model uses a first order, upwind, implicit numerical scheme for geographic propagation. The scheme can be employed for both stationary (typically small scale) and nonstationary (i.e. time-stepping) computations. Though robust, this first order scheme is very diffusive. This degrades the accuracy of the model in a number of situations, including most model applications at larger scales. The authors reduce the diffusiveness of the model by replacing the existing numerical scheme with two alternative higher order schemes, a scheme that is intended for stationary, small-scale computations, and a scheme that is most appropriate for nonstationary computations. Examples representative of both large-scale and small-scale applications are presented. The alternative schemes are shown to be much less diffusive than the original scheme while retaining the implicit character of the particular SWAN set-up. The additional computational burden of the stationary alternative scheme is negligible, and the expense of the nonstationary alternative scheme is comparable to those used by other third generation wave models. To further accommodate large-scale applications of SWAN, the model is reformulated in terms of spherical coordinates rather than the original Cartesian coordinates. Thus the modified model can calculate wave energy propagation accurately and efficiently at any scale varying from laboratory dimensions (spatial scale O(10 m) with resolution O(0.1 m)), to near-shore coastal dimension (spatial scale O(10 km) with resolution O(100 m)) to oceanic dimensions (spatial scale O(10 000 km) with resolution O(100 km).

Linear and nonlinear irregular waves and forces in a numerical wave tank

Abstract: A time-domain higher-order boundary element scheme was utilized to simulate the linear and nonlinear irregular waves and diffractions due to a structure. Upon the second-order irregular waves with four Airy wave components being fed through the inflow boundary, the fully nonlinear boundary problem was solved in a time-marching scheme. The open boundary was modeled by combining an absorbing beach and the stretching technique. The proposed numerical scheme was verified by simulating the linear regular and irregular waves. The scheme was further applied to compute the linear and nonlinear irregular wave diffraction forces acting on a vertical truncated circular cylinder. The nonlinear results were also verified by checking the accuracy of the nonlinear simulation.

Effects of high-order nonlinear interactions on unidirectional wave trains

Abstract: Numerical simulations of gravity waves with high-order nonlinearities in two-dimensional domain are performed by using the pseudo spectral method. High-order nonlinearities more than third order excite apparently chaotic evolutions of the Fourier energy in deep water random waves. The high-order nonlinearities increase kurtosis, wave height distribution and H max / H 1/3 in deep water and decrease these wave statistics in shallow water. Moreover, they can generate a single extreme high wave with an outstanding crest height in deep water. High-order nonlinearities (more than third order) can be regarded as one cause of freak waves in deep water.

Wave-power absorption by a periodic linear array of oscillating water columns

Abstract: This paper describes a theoretical analysis of the ocean wave energy absorption by a periodic linear array of oscillating water columns (OWCs) of arbitrary planform. The analysis is based on classical linear water wave theory and uses the expressions for the wave field resulting from time-harmonic pressure distributions on the free surface. The water depth is assumed finite and constant. The cases of oblique and normal incidence are analysed. A linear power take-off mechanism is assumed, but a complex characteristic constant (allowing for phase control) and air compressibility are considered. Special analytical expressions are derived for OWCs of rectangular and circular planforms. Numerical results for circular chambers show that the hydrodynamic interaction can substantially change the maximum energy absorption, depending on array and chamber geometry and on angle of incidence.

Wave interaction with partially immersed twin vertical barriers

Abstract: The wave transmission, reflection and energy dissipation characteristics of partially immersed twin vertical barriers and the water surface fluctuations in between the barriers were studied using physical models. Regular and random waves of wide ranges of wave heights and periods, nine different immersions of the barriers and a constant water depth were used for the investigation. The coefficient of transmission, and the coefficient of reflection were obtained from the measurements and coefficient of energy dissipation is estimated using the law of conservation of energy. It is found in general that the twin barrier is better in reducing the coefficient of transmission and increasing the coefficient of dissipation in random waves than with the regular waves, especially for increasing incident wave energy levels. The coefficient of transmission reduces significantly with the increased relative water depth. Increase of relative water depth from 0.09 to 0.45 resulted in reduction of transmission coefficient from 0.65 to 0.05. It is possible to achieve a transmission coefficient less than 0.20 for six immersion configurations with relative depth of immersions of the barrier less than (0.28, 0.43), especially in the region closer to deep water conditions. Coefficient of dissipation ranging from 0.65 to 0.85 can be obtained due to random wave interaction.

Time-domain computation of large amplitude 3D ship motions with forward speed

Abstract: Time-domain computations of 3D ship motions with forward speed are presented in this paper The method of computation is based upon transient Green function Both linear and nonlinear (large-amplitude) computations are performed where the included nonlinearities are those arising from the incident wave, but the diffraction and radiation forces are otherwise retained as linear The incident wave can be described by any explicit nonlinear model Computations over a variety of wave and speed parameters establish the robustness of the algorithm, which include high speed and following waves Comparison of linear and nonlinear computations show that nonlinearities have a considerable influence on the results, particularly in predicting the instantaneous location of the hull in relation to the wave, which is crucial in determining forefoot emergence and deck wetness

Laboratory observations of green water overtopping a fixed deck

Abstract: A small-scale laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify a transient wave overtopping a horizontal, deck fixed above the free surface. Detailed free surface and velocity measurements were made for two cases with and without the deck structure to quantify the effect of the deck on the wave kinematics. The study showed that the structure increased the free surface above the leading edge of the deck by 20%. The velocity profile at the leading edge was fairly uniform, and the maximum horizontal velocity was similar to the maximum crest velocity measured without the deck. Immediately below the deck, the maximum velocity was 2.5 times greater than the corresponding velocity without the deck and 2.1 times greater than the maximum crest velocity without the deck. On the deck, the wave collapsed into a thin bore with velocities that exceeded 2.4 times the maximum crest velocity measured without the deck.

A weakly non-gaussian model of wave height distribution for random wave train

Abstract: The wave height distribution with Edgeworth’s form of a cumulative expansion of probability density function (PDF) of surface elevation are investigated. The results show that a non-Gaussian model of wave height distribution reasonably agrees with experimental data. It is discussed that the fourth order moment (kurtosis) of water surface elevation corresponds to the first order nonlinear correction of wave heights and is related with wave grouping.

Has wind–wave modeling reached its limit?

Abstract: This article uses a comparison of four different numerical wave prediction models for hindcast wave conditions in Lake Michigan during a 10-day episode in October 1988 to illustrate that typical wave prediction models based on the concept of a wave energy spectrum may have reached a limit in the accuracy with which they can simulate realistic wave generation and growth conditions. In the hindcast study we compared the model results to observed wave height and period measurements from two deep water NOAA/NDBC weather buoys and from a nearshore Waverider buoy. Hourly wind fields interpolated from a large number of coastal and overlake observations were used to drive the models. The same numerical grid was used for all the models. The results show that while the individual model predictions deviate from the measurements by various amounts, they all tend to reflect the general trend and patterns of the wave measurements. The differences between the model results are often similar in magnitude to differences between model results and observations. Although the four models tested represent a wide range of sophistication in their treatment of wave growth dynamics, they are all based on the assumption that the sea state can be represented by a wave energy spectrum. Because there are more similarities among the model results than significant differences, we believe that this assumption may be the limiting factor for substantial improvements in wave modeling.

Wave interaction with ‘⊥’-type breakwaters

Abstract: The wave transmission, reflection and energy dissipation characteristics of ‘⊥’-type breakwaters were studied using physical models. Regular and random waves in a wide range of wave heights and periods and a constant water depth were used. Five different depths of immersion (two emerged, one surface flushing and two submerged conditions) of this breakwater were selected. The coefficient of transmission, K t , and coefficient of reflection, K r , were obtained from the measurements, and the coefficient of energy loss, K l was calculated using the law of balance of energy. It was found that the wave transmission is significantly reduced with increased relative water depth, d / L , whether the vertical barrier of the breakwater is surface piercing or submerged, where ‘ d ’ is the water depth and ‘ L ’ is the wave length. The wave reflection decreases and energy loss increases with increased wave steepness, especially when the top tip of the vertical barrier of this breakwater is kept at still water level (SWL). For any incident wave climate (moderate or storm waves), the wave transmission consistently decreases and the reflection increases with increased relative depth of immersion, Δ / d from −0.142 to 0.142. K t values less than 0.3 can be easily obtained for the case of Δ / d =+0.071 and 0.142, where Δ is the height of exposure (+ve) or depth of immersion (−ve) of the top tip of the vertical barrier. This breakwater is capable of dissipating wave energy to an extent of 50–80%. The overall performance of this breakwater was found to be better in the random wave fields than in the regular waves. A comparison of the hydrodynamic performance of ‘⊥’-type and ‘T’-type shows that ‘T’-type breakwater is better than ‘⊥’-type by about 20–30% under identical conditions.

Permeability characteristics of lime treated marine clay

Abstract: An attempt has been made to investigate the lime induced permeability changes in the permeability and engineering behavior of different lime column treated soil systems. Lime columns treated marine clay shows an increase in permeability up to a maximum value of 15–18 times that of untreated soil with time. The shear strength of the treated soil systems show an increment up to 8–10 that of untreated soil within a period of 30–45 days curing. In the case of lime injection systems, the permeability has been increased up to 10–15 times that of untreated soil, whereas the strength of the soil has been higher by 8–10 times that of untreated soil. Further, consolidation tests show a reduction in the compressibility up to 1/2–1/3 of original values. The test results revealed that both lime column and injection techniques could be used to improve the behaviour of underwater marine clay deposits.

Longitudinal stability and dynamic motions of a small passenger WIG craft

Abstract: The longitudinal stability characteristics of a Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect craft are quite different from those of the conventional airplane due to the existence of force and moment derivatives with regard to height. These stability characteristics play an important role in designing a safe and efficient WIG due to its potential danger in sea surface proximity. The static and dynamic stability criteria are derived from the motion equations of WIG in the framework of small disturbance theory and discussed in this paper. The static and dynamic stability analyses of a 20-passenger WIG are conducted based on wind tunnel test data, and dynamic motion behaviors are investigated for changes in design parameters. Finally, the flying quality of the 20-passenger WIG is analyzed at cruising conditions according to the military regulations.

Evaluation of long-term extreme response statistics of jack-up platforms

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the models appropriate for the dynamic assessment of jack-ups, concentrating particularly on the long-term response due to random ocean waves and on work-hardening plasticity models used for spud-can response. A methodology for scaling of short-term statistics, calculated using a Constrained NewWave technique, is shown in a numerical experiment for an example jack-up and central North Sea location. The difference in long-term extreme response statistics due to various footing assumptions is emphasised. Results for two environmental load conditions are described (one excluding and one including wind and current effects) and the role of sea-state severity in the variation of short-term extreme response statistics is also highlighted.

Triangular Configuration Tension Leg Platform behaviour under random sea wave loads

Abstract: This study investigates the dynamic response of a Triangular Configuration Tension Leg Platform (TLP) under random sea wave loads. The random wave has been generated synthetically using the Monte-Carlo simulation with the Peirson–Moskowitz (P–M) spectrum. Diffraction effects and second-order wave forces have not been considered. The evaluation of hydrodynamic forces is carried out using the modified Morison equation with water particle kinematics evaluated using Airy's linear wave theory. Wave forces are taken to be acting in the surge degree-of-freedom. The effect of coupling of various structural degrees-of-freedom (surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw) on the dynamic response of the TLP under random wave loads is studied. Parametric studies for random waves with different Hs and Tz under the presence of current have also been carried out. For the orientation of the TLP, surge, heave and pitch degrees-of-freedom responses are influenced significantly. The surge power spectral density function (PSDF) indicates that the mean square response is affected by the amplification at the natural frequency of the surge degree-of-freedom and also at the peak frequency of the wave loading. The PSDF of the heave response shows higher peak values near the surge frequency and near the peak frequency of the wave loading. Surge response, therefore, influences heave response to the maximum. Variable submergence seems to be a major source of nonlinearity and significantly enhances the responses in surge, heave and pitch degrees-of-freedom. In the presence of current, the response behaviour of the TLP is altered significantly introducing a non-zero mean response in all degrees-of-freedom.