Ship hydroelasticity responses in long-crested irregular waves by CFD-FEM simulation in comparison with segmented model experiment

In this paper the CFD-FEM two-way fluid-structure coupled method is extended to simulate ship motions and wave load responses in long-crested irregular waves, and the results are comprehensively compared with segmented model tank experiment results. First, a numerical wave tank and a segmented ship model are established in CFD and FEM solvers. The numerical simulation scheme for ship responses in irregular waves by using high-performance computing platform is presented for high efficiency numerical computations. Then the irregular waves generated in the CFD solvers are compared with experimental and theoretical results. Furthermore, the CFD-FEM simulation results of ship motion and vertical bending moment in irregular waves are comprehensively discussed and also compared with the segmented model experiment results. The analysis includes time series, frequency spectra, statistical results, and probability distribution. The analysis reveals that the present CFD-FEM method can well simulate ship motions and loads in good accuracy and takes more advantages in cost and time-consumed compared with segmented model experiment.