Numerical and experimental studies on hydroelastic responses of a multiply-connected domain tourism platform in head waves

The tourism platform "Heart of Ocean" is a novel type of Multiply-Connected Domain Floating Structures (MCDFSs). This platform is assembled by several modules through connection systems and arranged with a heart shape. Due to its large dimensions, the overall structural stiffness of the platform is relatively low, making it necessary to consider the fluid-structure interaction in ocean waves. In this paper, numerical and experimental studies on hydroelastic responses of the tourism platform were carried out in head waves. A three-dimensional hydroelastic analysis method for MCDFSs in time domain was developed, and a model test of the tourism platform with a scale ratio of 1/80 was carried out in the wave basin, including wet modal tests in still water, a white noise wave test and regular wave tests in head waves. The present method was verified by the model test, and good agreements were observed between numerical and experimental results. Based on numerical and experimental studies, characteristics of overall elastic deformation and wave loads were investigated. Several conclusions on the hydroelastic responses of the platform were summarized, which might provide useful guidance for the analysis of dynamic responses and structure design of MCDFSs.