Time-Domain Simulation of a Multi-Body Floating System in Waves

It is important to study multi-body dynamics when analyzing the transfer of cargo between ships and platforms at sea. The hydrodynamic interactions should be considered in an accurate way to predict the relative motions between them. In this paper, the response amplitude operators (RAOs) of a single vessel will be compared with those of a multi-body system, considering different spacing between them. Further, the coupled hydrodynamic interactions among multiple vessels in close proximity are studied. Various levels of approximation, including the constant coefficient method (CCM) and the impulse response function (IRF) method, are employed to model the hydrodynamic interactions. Finally, the comparison between a single vessel and multi-body time domain simulation is also given.