Experiment and numerical investigation on structural response of a FMRC hexagon enclosed platform in waves

Hexagon Enclosed Platform (HEP) provides life accommodation, ship docking and marine replenishment for many ocean-going vessels in deep ocean. The HEP is composed of six trapezoidal floating modules connected by six rigid connectors and has characteristic of heteromorphic mat-type so that its hydroelastic response is critical. Therefore, this paper proposes a FMRC (Flexible modulus Rigid Connector) HEP model and studies its hydroelastic response by means of numerical simulations and model experiment. Firstly, a scaled model of HEP which is also made up of six trapezoidal structural modules constructing with a steel layer and foam layer is designed and fabricated for model experiment. Secondly, the model experiment of HEP is performed in a number of tank waves. Thirdly, 3D hydroelasticity method is used to calculate the load and structural responses of HEP model. Finally, numerical results and experimental results involving frequency-domain and time-domain results are obtained and compared, and the structural response mechanism of FMRC HEP is analysed. It is found that experimental results and numerical results have accordant matching and hydroelastic response of HEP is generated indeed based on research results. The research results and conclusions obtained in the paper are used to guide conceputal design of a HEP structure. ∙Structural response of Hexagon Enclosed Platform is studied by means of model experiment and numerical simulation.∙Scaled model experiment of HEP is designed and carried out.∙3D hydroelasticity method is used to simulate the results of model experiment.∙Experiment results and numerical results are compared to study the structural response mechanism of HEP.