Response prediction and monitoring feasibility of a stow net system using measured environmental data in the southwest coast of Korea

Abstract

This paper investigates the response characteristics of a stow net under wave and current excitations, as well as the feasibility of its monitoring system to check net functionality and prevent loss of fishing gears. The stow-net model is based on one of existing types used in southwest coast of South Korea. The measured wave and current data there are acquired and inputted as environmental loads for numerical simulations. The Morison equation for a moving object with equivalent net model is utilized as the external-force estimator, which has been validated by many researchers regarding fish-cage studies. Since the modelling of all the net elements is inefficient in terms of computational time in time-domain simulations, cruder equivalent-drag net elements are devised with equivalent wet mass, projected area, and axial stiffness. The performance of stow net is highly influenced by current velocity. Stow nets submerge more in stronger currents, which results in less wave forces. The proposed monitoring system can provide useful information, such as net functionality and loss of stow net, using the minimum number of monitoring sensors.