This contribution presents a comparison between Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), potential theory and model tests for an oscillating aircushion supported structure. The linear method was developed at Delft University of Technology and uses a linear adiabatic law to describe the air pressure inside the cushion. In this method, the structure and the water surface within the aircushion are modelled by means of panel distributions representing oscillating sources. The CFD solver is the commercial software CFX which solves the whole flow field using Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes Equations (RANSE). The free surface is modelled by a Volume of Fluid (VOF) approach. The results in this paper show a good agreement between experimental results and numerical results of both methods for aircushion pressure variations, added mass, damping and wave elevations inside the aircushion. As such it is validated that the behaviour of an aircushion supported structure subjected to forced heave oscillations can be well predicted by both CFD and potential theory.

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