Air-Pressure Characteristics of Aircushion Supported Large Floating Structures

Air-pressure characteristics of air supported fixed floating structures are described in this paper. The theoretical prediction method of responses of the aircushion type floating structure in waves has been proposed. The adiabatic compression is assumed to the prediction method. In this study, model experiments using two aircushion type models are carried out in the wave tank. Then, pressures in the aircushion and the wave exciting force of heave are measured. It is verified to assume spatially uniformly distribution to pressure distribution from explorations by using the experimental results of the pressure and the phase difference. In addition, effects of the initial pressure of the aircushion and the draft of the skirt bounding the aircushion and/or water are little.