Numerical study on the hydrodynamic performance of floating breakwaters with complex configurations.

The low efficiency of the floating breakwater (FB) in attenuating middle and long-period waves is a problem which is urgent to be addressed. To improve the wave attenuation performance, various new configurations have been proposed by scholars. We proposed a new configuration which was designed with wing structure and openings, and it was experimentally proved that the novel design having a significant improvement in attenuating incoming waves. Unfortunately, the flow characteristics around and inside the FB as well as the wave attenuation mechanisms did not be intensively studied. In this paper, CFD analysis is conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic performance of FBs with complex configuration. The accuracy of the numerical method is verified by comparing with the experiment results. Through the numerical studies, the novel wave attenuation mechanisms of the FB with wing structure and openings are revealed. The wave slamming induced by wing structure and the water spraying induced by opening are two main factors which improve wave attenuation efficiency. After that, the optimization design which aims to improve wave attenuation performance is conducted. • A numerical analysis method is applied to investigate performances of floating breakwaters with complex configuration. • The water spraying, wave slamming, reversed flow and vortex phenomena are observed in the simulation. • Novel wave attenuation mechanisms of the floating breakwater are found and analyzed. • Improved design and analysis of the floating breakwater is conducted and the wave attenuation performance is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]