Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt

427
ANALYSIS OF HYDRO-ELASTIC RESPONSES OF
VERY LARGE FLOATING STRUCTURE BY USE OF
SANDWICH GRILLAGE MODEL
Jin-Zhi

Hu*, Shu-Hua Zhang*, Wen-Qi Yu
**
and Bao Zhang**
*China Communication Forth Design Institute Of Navigation Engineering
**School of Traffic & Ocean of Hohai UniversityNanjing

Abstract:
The hydro-elasticity of a very large floating structure in multidirectional regular waves is discussed.
After a brief introduction, the paper introduced a 3D sandwich grillage model to analyze the hydro-
elastic response. This model can be set up based on the finite element soft. By using Green Function
method, the velocity potential is solved. The hydro-elastic response function of the VLFS is founded
and solved based on potential fluid theory. A very large floating structure is chosen as an example.
The numerical results show that the difference between this model and a 2D homogeneous plate
model is not very large. Moreover the trend of the two results is very similarly.
I. INTRODUCTION
In resent years all kinds of very large floating
structure (VIFS) have highly attracted public
attention in the world, which aim at efficiently using
the space of the sea and exploiting the ocean
resource, including the maritime aerodrome,
maritime factory, maritime martial base, large
floating bridge, very large floating production
storage oil system ,floating city and so on. It also
has raised a hot tide to research the VIFS all over
the world. But the solving of the characteristic of
the VIFS fluid momentum has its own particularity.
Because the VIFS is an extreme oblate large
flexible structure which can not regard as a rigid
structure, its hydro-elastic response is a classical
coupling problem of the liquid and solid. The water
elasticity theory can make unified qualitative and
quantitative analyses to the objects load,
movement, distortion and internal force which have
random shape structure in the fluid .It is showed
that it can be applied to description the Fluid-
structure interaction. Therefore it is widely used in
the hydro-elastic analysis of the VIFS. Of course,
the mathematics model of high precision
calculation and analysis always needs
extraordinary tremendous workload. So in this
essay we set up a three dimension sandwich
grillage model to take a more reasonable
calculation and analysis of hydro-elastic
characteristic of the VIFS.
II. THE PREDIGESTION OF THE MODEL AND BASAL
HYPOTHESIS
We set up the sandwich grillage model by
using the APD (ANSYS parameter design
language) in the finite element soft, which treats
up-deck and down-deck as rectangle stress plate
elementary and clapboard as girder elementary.
This model is shown in Fig. 1.
In order to clearly understand the response of
the VIFS in the wave, here we divide the wave
field and floating structure into two area: area(I)
and area (II),which is shown in Fig. 2. Here we will
introduce a coordinate system O-xyz. The origin of
the O-xyz-system is at the point of the gravity
centre of the structure and the vertical line goes
along coast-line and the horizontal line goes
against the direction of the incident wave and the
Oz-axis is upward.

Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


428

Figure 1. The sandwich grillage mode
o
wave direction
y
z
x
VLFS

z
h
s
x
h
s
B
s
f
n

I
II
I

Figure 2. The reference frame and boundary sketch map
A. The basal hypothesis
1. The water depth is invariable. const h = .
1. The liquid is assumed to be ideal (i.e., uniform,
continuous, in viscid, incompressible and
irrigational.) Hence, the fluid behavior can be
modeled by a velocity potential. We only
consider the vertical movements without the
horizontal movements, for we only have taken
account for the foursquare horizontal moorage
action of the structure.
2. The impact of the swing of the incident wave and
the response of the floating structure are very
minor. So we can use the linearity theory to
calculate.
3. The entire phenomenon is periodic.
4. After using the relative density, which can be
written as
seawater structure
= , we cannot
account the deadweight of the floating
structure.Because the wave is micro amplitudes
wave, the sea gauge of the floating structure is
zero.
B. The hydro-elastic analysis of the VIFS
(1) The fundamental principle Velocity potential of
the fluid around the floating structure can be
decomposed into the standard form.

=
+ + =
m
r
r D I
1
1
(1)
Where ) , , , ( t z y x
I
, ) , , , ( t z y x
D
and
) , , , ( t z y x
r
denote the incident wave potential, the
diffraction wave potential, and the radiation wave
potential arising from the responses of the flexible
body. Therefore, we can get the control equation
according to the boundary conditions and the above
basal hypothesis.
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
lim ( ) 0
f
B
r
w
h
w
h
in
x y z
g on S
t z
on S
z
r in S
r g t
on S
z t
P
g on S
t

= + + =

+ =

+ =

+ =

(2)

After detaching the temporal variable, they can be
expressed as
Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


429

=
=

h
h
r
B
f
S on p
g
w
S on w
z
S in
g r
r
S on
z
S on
g z
in z y x

2
2
2
2
0 ) ( lim
0
0
0 ) , , (
(3)
Here, wand r are the wave circular frequency
and the distance between the discussed plot radiant
point, respectively.
(2) The calculation of velocity potential of
incident wave The velocity potential should be
contented with these equations as follows,
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
2
2
0
0
0
I I I
I
I I
f
I
B
in
x y z
g on S
t z
on S
z

= + + =

+ =

(4)
Here is the fluid field,
f
S is the free surface and
B
S is the bottom surface. We can calculate the
velocity potential by using the separate variable
method. And then we can attain
) cos(
) (
)] ( [
0 0
0
0 0
t y k x k
h k ch
h z k ch g
y x I

+
+
=
(5)
Where
x
k
0
and
y
k
0
are the ponderance of the wave
number
0
k the incident wave in the x, y direction,
respectively. They can be expressed as follows:
0 0 0
cos k k
x
= (6)
0 0 0
sin k k
y
= (7)
(3) The calculation of the diffraction wave
potential, and the radiation wave potential.
We use the Green-method to calculate these
two velocity potential. The diffraction problem takes
no account of the toss movements but the
interference of the flow momentum between wave
and immobile or moving with stable and normal
velocity structure.
D
should be contented with the
control equations and boundary conditions as
follows:
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
2
2
0
0
0

D D D
D
D D
f
D
B
I D
h
in
x y z
g on S
t z
on S
z
on S
n n

= + + =

+ =

(8)

In order to solve these equations we can use
the scatter numerical value method, and then we can
get the diffraction of the structure surface. The
radiation velocity potential results from the
movements of the floating structure in the water still
free surface and arises when the structure has
elastic distortion. Its solution is the same as the
diffractions. Its noted that for the radiation potential
of different movement mode all the conditions are
the same as the diffraction except the n

in the
condition of the structure surface. Now lets take the
r-th radiation potential for example. When the
approach velocity is zero,
r
should content with
the control equations and boundary conditions as
follows:
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
2
2
0
0
0

lim ( ) 0
r r r
r
r r
f
r
B
r
h
r
r
R
in
x y z
g on S
t z
on S
z
u n on S
n
R ik at R
r

= + + =

+ =

+ = =

(9)
Here,
2 2
y x R + = . Finally we can get the
expression of the r-th radiation velocity ( )
i r
p by
the same solving process of the diffraction potential.
And then we can calculate the radiation velocity
r
.

=
=
m
r
r R
1
(10)
(4) Calculate the flexible distortion of the
structure by using the dry mode method
Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


430

By applying the finite element method, ignoring
the damp effect, the equation of motion of the
structure which is acted on the generalized fluid
forces may be represented as

R D
F F F t KU t U M + + = +
0
) ( ) (

(11)
Where, M and K are matrices that correspond to
the structural quality and stiffness,
respectively. ) (t U

and ) (t U are the acceleration
vector and the displacement vector, respectively.
They are both correlative to time. F
0
, F
D
and F
R

denote the incident wave pressure, the diffraction
wave pressure and the radiation wave pressure. In
this essay, we set up the 3D sandwich grillage model
by the infinite element software. And then couple the
node displacement between the girder and board. At
last we calculate the basic mode which needed in
the hydro-elastic analysis with the applying of mode
analysis function of the software.
C. The analysis of a structure
According to the above discussion of the hydro-
elastic theory of the VIFS, we can workout a
program base on the analysis and resolution of this
theory. In order to validate the rationality of this
method and applicability of the program, we
compare to the results which is calculated by the 2D
homogeneous plate model on the same structure.
The primary parameter of the structure can be seen
in table 1.
Now we use these two models to calculate the
hydro-elastic response on the condition that wave
angles of incidence values are 0, 30, 60, and
90. The results are expressed as follows. The
primary parameter of the structure can be seen in
table 1. The wave conditions are selected as follows:
the wave length of the incident wave is 140m, ( =
140m). The wave swing is 1.0m which is the unit
wave swing, in other words the wave height is 2.0m.
Because it is a linear system, when the wave swing
is a, the relative displacement and internal force are
a times as the value when the wave swing is 1m.
The figure 3 is showing the flexible distortion of
the VIFS when the angle is 0. According to the
figure 4~6 we can come to the conclusion that these
two programs results have the same or analogous
trend. But by the values which calculated by our
program show that the absolute value of the swing
displacement of adiaphorous axial is some higher,
but the stress which distributes on the face-wave
side is lower, and others values are almost the
same. The shearing force, which distributes on the
face-wave side is higher and on the back-wave side
is lower, but the discrepancy between them is very
small. Its noted that in the following figs where the
means Comparative Program, and the means this
Article Program.
As shown in the figure7~14, we can attain
conclusions from the calculations of the angle is 30
and 60 which is analogous to the conclusion which
the angle is 0. There the place of maximum
response changes. In other words when the angle
Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


431




Figure 3. Flexible distortion (=0
Figure 4. Displacement absolute value of adiaphorous
axial (=0)

Figure 5. Stress distribution (=0) Figure 6. Shearing force distribut ion (=0)
Figure 7. Flexible distort ion (=30)
Figure 8. Displacement absolute value of adiaphorous
axial (=30)

Figure 9. Stress distribution of (=30) Figure 10. Shearing force distribution (=30)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
w
0
10
50
60
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
M
P
a
)
40
30
20
0
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
S
h
e
a
r
i
n
g

f
o
r
c
e

x
y
(
K
N
/
c
m
)
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0. 2
0. 4
0. 6
0. 8
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
W
0
10
50
60
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
M
P
a
)

40
30
20
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
6
0
1
2
3
4
5
S
h
e
a
r
i
n
g

f
o
r
c
e

x
y
(
K
N
/
c
m
)


Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


432

Figure 11. Flexible distortion (=60)
Figure 12. Displacement absolute value of adiaphor
axial (=60)

Figure 13. Stress distribut ion (=60) Figure 14. Shearing force distribution (=60)

Figure 15. Flexible distortion (=90)
Figure 16. Displacement absolute value of adiaphor
axial (=90)
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
M
P
a
)

0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
0. 68
0. 72
0. 76
0.8
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
W
0
20
100
120
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
M
P
a
)

40
60
80
S
h
e
a
r
i
n
g

f
o
r
c
e

x
y
(
K
N
/
c
m
)

0
4
8
12
16
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
-175 -125 -75 -25 25 75 125 175
L(m)
W
S
h
e
a
r
i
n
g

f
o
r
c
e

x
y
(
K
N
/
c
m
)


Figure 17. Stress distribution (

=

90 ) Figure 18. Shearing force distribution (

=

90 )


Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, August 24-30, 2008, Darmstadt


433
is 60 the maximum response happened at the
end of the structure. The results of the angle is 90
has shown in figure15~18. These results have the
largest difference in numerical value of the
displacement swing of adiaphorous axial. But the
trend of the curvilinear is comparatively ideal.
III. THE CONCLUSIONS
In this essay, we set up the 3D sandwich
grillage model in order to solve the hydro-elastic
response of box-shaped VIFS. And then we couple
the displacement of the nodes and up-build
equations of hydro-elastic response based on
potential fluid theory. After that we solve them with
dry-mode method. At last we compare the results in
the model which is acting on the wave force with
other literatures results. But we only study and
analyze the problem on the condition of the regular
wave. Actually the wave in ocean is irregular.
Therefore, if we want to have a more accurate and
close to actual, the spectrum is needed in the
research of the response on the irregular wave.
REFERENCE
[1] Cui W C. Current status and future directions in predicting the
hydro-elastic response of very large floating structures [J] Journal
of Ship Mechanics,2002,6(1)73-90
[2] TSUBOGO T. and Okada H., A basic investigation on deflection
wave propagation and strength of very large floating structures [J],
JSNA, 1998, 182: 299-307
[3] Wang. D. Y., Riggs, H. R. and Ertekin. R. C., Three-dimensional
Hydro-elastic Response of a Very Large Floating Structure,
Proceedings of 1st Offshore & Polar Engineering Conference,
ISOPE91, Edinburgh, U. K. 1991
[4] [Tang Wenyong, Wang Deyu, Chen Tieyun, Analysis of Dynamic
Structure-Fluid Interaction Response of a Floating Laminated
Composite Plate [J], China Ocean Engineering, 1997, Vol. 11, No.
4, 363-372
[5] CHEN Xu-jun, CUI Wei-cheng, SONG Hao, TANG Xue-feng,
Numerical Solution of Membrane Forces for A Free-Free Floating
Plate with Large Deflection [J], 2003, China Ocean Engineering,
Vol. 17, No. 2, 163-176
[6] [6] Ohkusu M. and Namba Y., 1996, Analysis of Hydro-elastic
Behaviour of a Large Floating Platform of Thin Plate
Configuration in Waves, VLFS96, 143-148
[7] TAKASHI TSUBOGO, On the dispersion relation of Hydro-
elastic waves in a plate [J], Marine Science and Technology,
(1999) 4: 76-83
[8] A. G. Abul-Azm, M. R. Gesraha, Approximation to the
hydrodynamics of floating pontoons under oblique waves, Ocean
Engineering 27 (2000) 365-384
[9] A. N. Williams, H. S. Lee, Z. Huang, Floating pontoon
breakwaters, Ocean Engineering 27 (2000) 221240
[10] Yan H M, Hydro-elastic analysis of Very Large Floating
Structures using plate Green Function method [D], Masters
Thesis, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2003.
[11] Zhang Shuhua, Han Mansheng, Study on the Responses Analysis
of Hydro-elasticity of Very Large Floating Structure (VLFS) Used
the Mode Method, Second Sino-German Joint Symposium on
Coastal and Ocean Engineering(2004.10)
[12] Shuhua ZhangFujikubo, Reliability-based optimal design for
the very large floating structure, China Ocean
Engineering2003VOL.17,No.1pp.11