Hydrodynamic behaviour of floating polygonal platforms under wave action

Abstract

The hydrodynamic behaviour of floating regular polygonal platforms under wave action was studied by conducting parametric studies. Considering triangular, square, hexagonal, and circular platforms of similar size and draft, the results show that their added mass, radiation damping, and RAOs are similar. However, the wave exciting forces are slightly different, particularly the horizontal forces. The polygonal platforms oriented with one of its corners in line with the prevailing wave direction can lead to a reduction in the horizontal force on the platform, a feature that helps in reducing the cost of a mooring system. Moreover, such oriented platforms are able to disperse the waves better in multiple directions and hence will not pose problems for ships or marine vessels passing by the platform on the weather side. Thus, the orientation of a polygonal platform is an important design consideration. From the comparison study among different polygonal platforms, their wave attenuation performances are slightly similar. The hydrodynamic analyses performed herein for the parametric studies were sped up considerably by using a significantly lesser number of Fourier coefficient sets for the series functions that define the velocity potentials when compared to those used by previous researchers in their analytical approaches. The adoption of the radius function defined by cosine‐type radial perturbation does not only generate the geometric bounda-ries of polygonal platforms, but it also simplifies the formulation and quickens the computations.