A direct coupling analysis method of hydroelastic responses of VLFS in complicated ocean geographical environment

In this paper a direct coupling analysis method (DCAM) of hydroelastic responses of a very large floating structures (VLFS) in complicated geographical environment is presented. In this method the three-dimensional hydroelasticity theory of floating bodies is combined with the shallow water wave theory, to allow for proper description of the influence of uneven seabed and sheltering effect of islands on the hydroelastic responses of a VLFS deployed near island and reefs in shallow sea. This method and the numerical procedures were verified and validated by comparison between the predictions and the model test results of a 3-module VLFS and an 8-module VLFS in two simulated shallow sea regions with different seabed topography.