Wave loads on ocean infrastructure increase as a result of waves passing over abrupt depth transitions
Li, Zhenhao; Tang, Tianning; Li, Yan; Draycott, Samuel; van den Bremer, Ton S.; Adcock, Thomas A. A.
Journal article, Peer reviewed
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Date
2022Metadata
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Abstract
Abrupt changes in water depth are known to lead to abnormal free-surface wave statistics. The present study considers whether this translates into abnormal loads on offshore infrastructure. A fully non-linear numerical model is used which is carefully validated against experiments. The wave kinematics from the numerical model are used as input to a simple wave loading model. We find enhanced overturning moments, an increase of approximately 20%, occur over a distance of a few wavelengths after an abrupt depth transition. We observe similar results for 1:1 and 1:3 slopes. This increase does not occur in linear simulations.