Wave Loads and Motions of Long Structures in Directional Seas

The present paper deals with the effects of wave directionality on the loads and motions of long structures. A numerical procedure based on Green’s theorem is developed to compute the exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients due to the interaction of a regular oblique wave train with an infinitely long, semi-immersed floating cylinder of arbitrary shape. The linear transfer function approach is used to determine the wave loads and motions of a structure of finite length in short-crested seas. The effect of wave directionality is expressed as a frequency-dependent, directionally averaged reduction factor for the wave loads and a response ratio for the body motions. Numerical results are presented for the force reduction factor and response ratio of a long floating box subject to a directional wave spectrum with a cosine-power-type energy spreading function.