Numerical Study on Wave Dissipation and Mooring Force of a Horizontal Multi-Cylinder Floating Breakwater

Abstract

A three-dimensional numerical model was established based on ANSYS-AQWA (R19.0) software for the purpose of analyzing the hydrodynamic characteristics of a floating breakwater. This study examines three distinct floating breakwaters with different cross-sectional designs in order to evaluate their respective wave dissipation capabilities. It is suggested that the horizontal multi-cylinder floating breakwater exhibits a superior ability to dissipate waves when compared to both the single-cylinder and square pontoon configurations and can be deemed the most advantageous shielding strategy for potential engineering applications. Subsequently, this study examines the effects of influential parameters, including a large cylinder diameter, a small cylinder diameter, the angular position of the small cylinder, and the height and period of the incident wave, on the wave transmission coefficient. An empirical formula for the wave transmission coefficient was derived based on the numerical results. Additionally, the effects of influential parameters, including wind speed, current velocity, incident wave height and period, and water depth, on the maximum total mooring force were investigated. Furthermore, an empirical formula for the maximum total mooring force is proposed for practical implementation in engineering.

Keywords

• floating breakwater
• multi-cylinder breakwater
• transmission coefficient
• mooring force