Selection Of Modular Floating Structure Connector And Its Effect On Dynamic Response

Modular floating structure is a huge integral floating structure which is connected by several floating models via the connector.As a very important kind of structural configurations for very large floating structures,modular floating structure’s dynamic response is quite different from the traditional floating structure.Compared with the traditional floating structure,modular floating structure has the advantages of high modularity,convenient installation,flexible layout,simple structure,low construction cost and good economy,so it is worthy of further study.This paper focuses on the selection and optimization of connectors,and the following work are carry out: Based on three dimensional potential flow theory and multi-body dynamics mechanics,a numerical model of three-module modular floating structure is established.Based on the hydrodynamic coefficients calculated from ANSYS AQWA,the motion responses of the three-module modular floating structure body and the connector loads are calculated,and the results are compared with the experimental data of physical model test to validate the calculation model.Researches carried out both domestic and abroad mainly concern about the connector loads and the types of connector are mostly elastic connection rather than other connection types.Meanwhile,there is no explicit connection selection scheme proposed.So this paper calculates motion,relative motions and connector loads responses of modular floating structure in different connection types,and propose a quantitative way to select connection scheme,which could be used to compare different connection types.Most study on elastic connection chooses to use the connectors that have same connecting stiffness in three directions.A few studies use the connectors different in three directions,but no specific research are carried out on the changing law about motion response with three directional connection stiffness.So this paper carries out researches about every single direction connecting stiffness,some relationships between the motion responses in each direction and connector loads between the single direction connecting stiffness are obtained,which could provide some reference for selection and optimization of the elastic connector’s connecting stiffness.To avoid the disadvantageous effects caused by resonance,this paper calculated the resonance frequency of floating structures with different connecting stiffness groups,and studies the relationship between the resonance frequency and the connection stiffness.To reduce resonance,this paper addes damping structure into elastic connection,upgrading it into damping-elastic connection,comparing its performance with the traditional elastic connection,supplying some reference for selection and optimization of modular floating structures connector.