Research of freak wave effect on a floating object in seakeeping tank
Authors:   Krylov State Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia, Maslov V. 
Published: August 2021

Object and purpose of research. This paper describes physical modeling of interaction process of abnormal wave (freak wave) with a marine floating structure in a seakeeping tank of the Krylov State Research Center. Freak wave is extremely dangerous because of the difference from wind waves by an unusually steep front slope and a gentle trough. Freak wave appears suddenly and collapses rapidly. Research of effect process features is necessary for understanding and analysis of the object behavior at extreme sea conditions. As experiment results it was necessary to obtain empirical data of sea object motions and accelerations at interaction with freak wave on different course angles and speeds. The obtained physical experiment results will be the foundation of theoretical studies and numerical calculation methods. Materials and methods. Physical modeling of the interaction process of freak wave with a marine floating structure was conducted in a deep seakeeping tank. Freak wave was generated by the linear superposition method of four twodimensional unidirectional regular waves with variable steepness in frequency range of 2 to 6 rad/s. To create a control signal was using special software. Wave packets were formed consisting of a sequence of a four harmonicas with a given frequency, height and duration. For parameters registration of freak wave were used string probes installed with a certain step along the length of the tank. A marine floating structure model was fixed by elastic fastening system in a window of a tow cart. For measure the motions of marine floating structure and its accelerations in define points at encounter with freak wave the contactless optic system and two-component acceleration sensors (accelerometers) were used. Cases of structure interaction with freak wave at different course angles and speeds were considered. Main results. As result of physical experimental data of floating structure motions in the interaction with freak wave in conditions of regular sea state at five course angles with speed and without speed were obtained. Dependencies of roll, pitch and heave motions at different course angles and various speeds were built. Similar dependencies of vertical and transverse accelerations on a stem also were built. Comparative analysis of results with data, which were obtained on intensive irregular sea state (spectrum JONSWAP) at identical experiment conditions, and also with foreign results was carried out. Conclusions. The greatest roll and maximum accelerations are registered at alongside position to abnormal wave, but cargo vessel has a sufficient reserve of dynamic stability to withstand such an impulse effect. The values of roll motion and accelerations on irregular sea state are close to the parameters measured at freak wave effect. This similarity is explained by rocking effect of periodic impact of irregular sea state, the proximity of natural period of roll oscillations to average period of waves and sufficiently high waves. In comparison with foreign researches, a wider range of heading angles and speeds is considered, and data about accelerations in a stem are obtained.