Model Test Results for Different Configurations of Multiple Hinged Floaters in Regular and Irregular Waves

Model tests with up to three main modules and one floater for wave energy conversion were performed in the shallow water basin at the Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems (DST). Conducting tests in waves, the modules individual motions as well as forces at connectors between the modules were measured. The applied model scale is 33.58. Modules with an edge length of 1340 mm represent full-scale dimensions of 45 m length, 45 m width and a height of 15 m. The draught was set to 9 m. Aiming to provide data for validation calculations a reasonable freeboard was required to prevent situations with green water on deck causing strong nonlinear effects. In particular, the influence of the wave’s steepness on the response amplitude operators (RAO) was in the scope of investigation. With the chosen main particulars, regular waves with a steepness between H/L ≈ [0.04, 0.07] could be conducted without immersing of the model’s topside or emerging of the keel. Moreover, the data set also comprises results from tests in irregular sea states that allow for a statistical analysis of extreme events.