Numerical and Experimental Study of Hydrodynamic Response for a Novel Buoyancy-Distributed Floating Foundation Based on the Potential Theory

Abstract

Floating foundations play a vital role in exploring offshore energy. After analyzing various floating foundation concepts, this paper presents a novel buoyancy-distributed floating foundation (BDFF) inspired by the decentralized concept. The calculations of a floating system based on the BDFF design were performed for a series of wave conditions. The potential theory and the boundary element method (BEM) were used in the numerical progress. A broader view was focused on the impacts of wave frequency and wave directions on the system. The proposed floating system was further validated through wave tests in a wave tank, showing that the potential theory can satisfactorily predict the RAOs in regular waves. Moreover, numerical results and experimental results were compared with a conventional SPAR. Finally, the coupling relationship between six degrees of freedom was described.