Numerical Investigation on the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Convex-Type Floating Breakwater

Abstract

The utilization of floating breakwaters (FBs) represents a significant contribution to the field of offshore protection. In this paper, the interactions of the convex-type FB with water waves are numerically investigated. The reliability of the numerical model is confirmed through comparisons with experimental results. To better understand the difference in hydrodynamic characteristics between the box-type FB and the convex-type FB, the transmission, reflection, and energy dissipation coefficients, as well as the motion response and mooring force of the convex-type FB are compared with the box-type FB. The flow field information is also displayed to further clarify the wave dissipation process for both FBs. In addition, the effects of the draft and deck width on the hydrodynamic characteristics of the convex-type FB are also investigated. It can be observed that in comparison with the box-type FB, the convex-type FB exhibits a higher energy dissipation coefficient and a lower reflection coefficient. For the convex-type FB under different deck widths, the FB with a smaller deck width has a larger reflection coefficient and relatively better wave attenuation performance. This paper may serve as a reference for optimizing the effectiveness of the FB.