Entry Date:
December 20, 2001

Three-Dimensional Fully-Nonlinear Simulations of Waves and Wave Body Interactions

Principal Investigator Dick Yue


Despite the success of linearized theory in ocean engineering, the importance of nonlinear effects has become increasingly recognized in many applications such as sea-keeping and extreme loads. In recent years, this importance has been underscored by the need for accurate predictions and safety assessments with innovative designs and more demanding operational requirements. Indeed, it is precisely in the considerations of operational safety, structural integrity and ultimate survivability that nonlinear wave and motion effects are paramount.

A high-order boundary-integral-equation (BIE) method is used with the mixed-Eulerian-Lagrangian (MEL) approach. Key numerical developments and improvements include the double-node technique at surface slope discontinuities, the treatment of far-field closures, robust free-surface and body-surface grid regeneration, rational formulations for updating the intersection on a moving surface-piercing body of general shape, the implementation of the forward speed, the specification of initial conditions for fully- nonlinear diffraction problems, and the accurate calculation of wave loads.

These developments present a powerful method for simulating fully-nonlinear three-dimensional wave-wave and wave-body interactions.