Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Experimental study of freak wave impacts on a tension-leg platform

2020; Elsevier BV; Volume: 74; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.marstruc.2020.102821

1873-4170

Min Luo, C. G. Koh, Wei Xian Lee, Pengzhi Lin, Dominic E. Reeve,

Ocean Waves and Remote Sensing

This study investigates the freak wave impinging on a tension-leg platform through wave flume experiments. The freak waves are generated using the focused wave theory. By adjusting the wave focusing location, different incident wave scenarios at the structure location are produced. Simultaneous measurements of wave shape evolutions upon impingement, wave impact pressures on the platform deck, platform motions and tether forces are carried out for synchronized analyses of the wave kinematics/dynamics and structural responses. The variation of these parameters with the incident wave profile is studied. It is found that although applying less intensive local impact pressures as compared to the highly-breaking freak wave, the slightly-breaking or non-breaking freak wave imposes the same level of adverse effect on the platform's global stability in terms of motions and tether forces. In addition, the high-crest freak wave causes violent motions of the floating platform, which are likely to induce snap loads of large amplitude and high occurrence frequency in tethers. The published results would provide useful benchmarks for validating numerical and analytical models.