Structural response of high solidity net cage models in uniform flow

Abstract Hydrodynamic loads acting on a fish farm may be affected by the growth of different biofouling organisms, mainly due to increased solidity of the nets. In this paper, the hydrodynamic loads acting on high solidity net cage models subjected to high uniform flow velocities and the corresponding deformation of the net cages are studied. Model tests of net cylinders with various solidities were performed in a flume tank with a simulated current. Standard Morison-type numerical analyses were performed based on the model tests, and their capability of simulating the occurring loads and the observed net cage deformations for different flow velocities was evaluated. Large deformations of the net cage models were observed, and at high velocities the deformations were close to what is physically possible. Net cage deformation appeared to be less dependent on solidity than on flow velocity and weights. Drag forces increased with increasing flow velocity and were dependent on both bottom weights and netting solidity. For the lowest solidity net, drag forces were close to proportional to flow velocity. For the three high solidity nets, the measured drag forces were of similar magnitude, and drag increased less with increasing flow velocity above approximately 0.5 m/s than at lower velocities. This study shows that a basic reduced velocity model is not sufficient to model the interaction between the fluid flow and net (hydroelasticity) for high solidity net cages subjected to high flow velocities. The standard numerical analysis was in general able to make good predictions of the net shape, and was capable of making an acceptable estimate of hydrodynamic loads acting on the lowest solidity net model ( Sn =0.19). For high solidities and large deformations, numerical tools should account for changes in water flow and the global drag coefficient of the net.