Dynamic Response Analysis Of A Flexibly Joined, Multi-module Very Large Floating Structure

Very large floating structures (VLFS) have been considered for various industrial uses. Due to the size of these structures, the most important difficulty in their design remains to be their dynamic response analysis. In this work, the motion response and associated structural loads of a VLFS, which consists of four modules that are connected to each other either by hinged or flexible connectors, are studied. The dynamic response is determined by 3-dimensional double composite source distribution method. The hydroelastic model includes the neighboring-module interactions, and the mechanical coupling is achieved by using the rigid module flexible connector (RMFC) structural model. The transfer functions of the motion response and connector forces and moments are obtained for a series of wave headings, and then used to predict the stochastic response of the structure in multidirectional random waves. The present results can be taken as a guide which give qualitative information that can be used in connector design of similar multi-module VLFS.