Coupled BEM and FEM for the analysis of floating elastic plate with arbitrary shapes

Abstract

In order to analyse the hydroelastic behaviour of the floating thin elastic plate, a numerical model has been developed by coupling higher-order boundary element method (BEM) and finite element method (FEM). The present model is capable of investigating the very large floating structure of arbitrary shapes at finite and infinite water depths. The developed hybrid model contains the same nodes maintaining the same order and basis function in both the methods. The novelty of this work can be seen in the newly developed modified Green’s function. Two geometrical configurations (triangle and trapezoidal) have been analysed. The time required for convergence and deflection of the geometrical model have been captured. Furthermore, the results obtained by Wang and Meylan [2004. A higher-order-coupled boundary element and finite element method for the wave forcing of a floating elastic plate. J Fluids Struct. 19(4):557–572] are used to validate the developed numerical model. It is concluded that the model works better in finite water depth for trapezoidal shape. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.