A Time-Domain Boundary Elements Method Applied to Multi-Body Simulations With Large Relative Displacements

This paper presents a time domain boundary elements method that accounts for relative displacements between two bodies subjected to incoming waves. The numerical method solves the boundary value problem together with a re-meshing scheme that defines new free surface panel meshes as the bodies displace from their original positions and a higher order interpolation algorithm used to determine the wave elevation and the velocity potential distribution on new free surface collocation points. Numerical solutions of exciting forces and wave elevations are compared to data obtained in a fundamental experimental text carried out with two identical circular section cylinders, in which one was attached to a load cell and the other was forced to move horizontally with a large amplitude oscillatory motion under different velocities. The comparison of numerical and experimental result presents a good agreement.