Hydroelastic Response of a Mat-Like Floating Circular Plate Advancing in Waves: Analytical Solution

The boundary-value problem is formulated to predict the hydroelastic response of a mat-like floating circular plate advancing slowly in waves. The potential flow theory is employed with low forward-speed assumption. The plate is modeled as an elastic plate with zero draught. This assumption allows the steady disturbance potential due to forward speed be neglected, simplifying considerably the problem. By applying the eigenfunction-expansion domain-matching method analytical solutions are derived for the scattering and radiation potentials up to the leading-order terms of the speed-dependent parts. Numerical results are presented for the typical plate geometry. It is shown that the forward-speed effect on the hydroelastic response, especially on the bending strain response, of the plate is significant.