Dual Poroviscoelastic Wave Barriers for Compliant Floating Platforms

Abstract

In this study, the use of submerged dual poroviscoelastic barriers with finite depth enclosing a floating compliant platform that supports utility systems, such as a solar photovoltaic system, on top is investigated as a protection measure against surface wave action. An analytical analysis of the wave interaction with the barrier-platform configuration is performed using eigenfunction expansion with least square approximation that takes full account of the hydroelastic behavior of the barriers. The results show that the platform displacement decreases as the barrier hydroelastic regime shifts from plate-like to membrane-like with increasing tension. In addition, a longer barrier at the incident front side of the platform yields better performance than an equal length on both sides given the same total barrier dimension. An increase in the porosity of the barriers reduces the displacement and wave loading on the barriers but leads to simultaneous higher wave transmission and larger platform displacement. The higher transmission is reduced by the internal dissipation properties of the barrier material. Overall, the dual barriers with sufficient length and appropriate poroviscoelastic properties can significantly improve the stability of the floating platform, and its performance can be tuned through varying the hydroelastic regimes and barrier-length combinations.