In this paper the hydrodynamic performance of a barge-type floating foundation installed with four moonpools and a VAWT was investigated through model tests and theoretical calculations. The characteristics of wave-induced motion responses and tether tensions and the effects of turbine rotations were examined. Physical model tests were conducted in a wave tank using regular waves with the wave period ranging from 0.6 to 1.6 seconds and 0.01 or 0.02 meters in amplitude. A 2-MW-class VAWT was modelled with a scale ratio of 1/100 in the experiments. By varying the mass and the rotational speed of the turbine, gyroscopic moment effects were studied. In addition, numerical calculations based on the linear potential theory and Green function method were carried out to estimate motion responses and tether tensions. The present results indicate that the gyroscopic effect due to turbine rotations can be profound. It was found that the first-order motions of the floating system were substantially reduced by the gyroscopic effect, while the second-order motions and tether tensions may be significantly increased. Moreover, the viscous damping of water motions in moonpools was found not negligible. As a result, theoretical models based on linear potential theory should be used with care in hydrodynamic analysis with regard to the floating systems with VAWT rotations. In addition, the present in-house program code was validated against WAMIT through comparing hydrodynamic predictions of a floating foundation with four moonpools, with reasonable agreement.

In this study, we consider and evaluate the applicability of the FEMA’s formula which is one of the main simple formulas for calculating impact forces through the comparison with our proposed numerical simulation model. We investigated the situation of collision with a thin structure such as a pillar by numerical experiments based on the particle method, in particular, we focus on the case where the drifting speed is fast in targeting the quay of Shimizu Port, Shizuoka prefecture. We compared the results of numerical experiments obtained by detailed simulations with FEMA’s formula and evaluated the applicable range of FEMA s formula for huge vessels. As results, it was suggested that the overestimation was occurred with FEMA’s formula for large vessel using the inundation height and its velocity. FEMA’s formula calculates the impact force of large vessel on the safe side if the drifting vessel speed is used: the condition of added mass coefficient changes the results, but these indicate the safe side in this study. On the other hand, the results of safety sides are fluctuated depending on the height of the action point of force. Therefore, we confirmed that there is a need to examine the height of the impact point when using FEMA’s formula for large vessels.

This paper describes scale effects and influence of configurations of oscillating water column type wave energy converters from model tests and theoretical calculations. Many researches regarding wave energy converters (WECs) have been conducted. The behavior of an oscillating water column of an OWC type WEC is complicated because of including wave-air-turbine interaction, and thus several issues remain. One of the issues is that influence of difference in scale between small scale experimental models and full scale models is unclear. It is important to understand its characteristics accurately to improve design technologies for such as complicated systems. In this study, we carried out forced oscillation tests using multiple scales and shapes of OWC models in still water, and measured the pressure inside the air chamber and the internal mean water level with a multi-line wave probe. The experimental models used have a box like air chamber or manifold type air chamber, and which scales were 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4.The difference of the two air chambers is an orifice or a duct to be inlet-outlet of air. As a result, the difference in scale and configuration of the air chamber affected the characteristics of the air chamber. In addition, as a result of numerical calculation using the linear potential theory and comparison with experimental results, the experimental results could be reproduced by numerical calculation. Besides, we could discuss the effects and the influences of the air chamber basically.

Oscillating water column (OWC) type wave energy converters (WECs) have been researched and developed. OWC WECs are relatively friendly to maintain them in operation because all of mechanical units are set above a sea water surface. In addition, a feature of an OWC device is similar to an air dumper system. Thus, it should be possible not only to harvest wave energy but also to reduce motion of a floating system at the same time. As well as WEC system should be used with other ocean renewable energies as a combined system. This paper describes hydrodynamic characteristics of OWC devices and wave fields around them of multi-OWC devices equipped large floating structures. For this research, the linear potential theory based in-house programme code was applied to calculate hydrodynamic performance of OWC regions and elastic motion behaviours of the structures. Besides, calculation results were compared with some experimental results of characteristics of OWC devices on reference papers published. Then we proved validity of the calculation method. We have quantitatively summarized how much the reduction effect can be seen according to the aircushion placement and the number of aircushions on the floating body. the paper investigated arrangement of OWC devices on the floating structure with several variations. Using the prediction method, effects of arrangement of OWC devices on the performances are investigated.

This paper describes the motion characteristics and cargo handling efficiency of the Large-Scale Floating Coal Transshipment Station (LFTS). Indonesia is the main country supplying coal in the Asia-Pacific region, it is important to ensure stable coal supply to Japan. Because the topography of the seabed near East Kalimantan Island, Indonesia’s main coal production area, is shallow, it is difficult for bulk carriers to reach the coast. And then, Large-scale Floating Transposition Station for Loading Coal (hereafter LFTS) was proposed, which will be used as a transposition station between small coal barge coming down the river and bulk carriers stay offshore. By installing LFTS, improvement of coal transport efficiency is expected. As a previous study, the motion characteristics of LFTS using a catenary chain in its mooring system were grasped. However, LFTS can carry up to 500,000 tons of coal, and the draft of LFTS tends to change greatly depending on the coal loading conditions. Besides, the tidal difference in the sea area where the LFTS is installed is about 2 m, and the mounting position of the mooring system on the LFTS side moves up and down by about 10 m at maximum due to changes in the draft and tidal differences. For this reason, when the mounting position of the mooring system is in the lowest state, the mooring line is loosened and the horizontal force is reduced, and it is considered that sufficient restraining force is not exhibited. And, when the mounting position of the mooring system becomes high, the mooring line tension increases and the mooring line may break in some cases. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to use an elastic mooring line as a mooring system for LFTS. An elastic mooring line is a mooring line that incorporates a highly stretchable material between mooring lines that connect anchors and floating body. Even if the mooring line attached to the LFTS moves up and down, an appropriate tension always acts on the elastic mooring line, and it can be expected to suppress the oscillation of the floating body and prevent the mooring line from breaking due to excessive tension. However, elastic mooring lines are mainly used for mooring small structures such as piers and aquaculture facilities, but there are no examples where these mooring lines have been applied to structures over 500m like LFTS. Therefore, elastic mooring lines are adopted for the mooring system of LFTS, systematically calculated according to various setting conditions of elastic mooring lines, and it is grasped whether elastic mooring lines can be applied to LFTS, and the motion characteristics of LFTS moored by elastic mooring lines was also grasped.

The Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in Japan in 2011, an innumerable number of buildings in the coastal part of the east side of Japan suffered catastrophic damage, and medical facilities in coastal areas have become dysfunctional because of the significant damage incurred due to the tsunami. And land routes are not passable, but there are records of support activities utilizing water areas such as sea and river networks being extremely effective in such disaster conditions. Therefore, as one of the effective methods of medical support in the affected area immediately after the disaster, a Floating Medical Support System (hereafter Medi-float) on big disaster that can be accessed from the water area was proposed. In the near future, the area along the Arakawa River is expected to be seriously damaged by the earthquake directly under the Tokyo metropolitan area. Therefore, by installing a Medi-float that can perform medical support activities from the water area to the land without being damaged by an earthquake, since Medi-float performs medical support activities in cooperation with medical facilities on land area, preventable death is reduced. In previous studies, a procedure to estimate the facilities scale and select a suitable site for Medi-float practically based on GIS data such as the number of collapsed buildings in the target area, distribution of injured people due to the earthquake were presented. However, even if Medi-float is installed in the target area, it cannot be denied that there is a shortage of medical facilities. In consideration of smooth transportation outside the region and cooperation with surrounding medical facilities, it is hoped that a concrete and realistic medical support system by Medi-float will be established. Therefore, in this study, in order to grasp the time it takes for the injured to be transported to the medical facility and the congestion status of the medical facility, the target area was divided into 250m meshes and a time-series simulation was performed. Specifically, the distribution of injured people during a disaster was calculated on a mesh basis from the number of buildings collapsed and the number of fires. And the transport time of the injured people is calculated from the distance between each mesh and the medical facility, the movement of the injured people in consideration of the congestion status of the medical facility was simulated, necessity of cooperation between medical facilities and wide area transportation was clarified, the effect of Medi-float, which is active in the disaster area, was also evaluated.

Indonesia is the main country supplying coal in the Asia-Pacific region, and in order to secure a stable supply of coal to neighboring countries, efficient coal transportation is required. East Kalimantan Island in Indonesia is the main coal-producing area, but the sea around the island is very shallow and bulk carriers for transporting coal cannot approach the coast. And then, Large-scale Floating Transposition Station for Loading Coal (hereafter LFTS) was proposed, which will be used as a transposition station between small coal barge coming down the river and bulk carriers that stays offshore. LFTS has a two-dimensional extent, and because the bulkheads for separating coal according to quality are installed on the floating body, the rigidity is partially different, and the draft also changes greatly according to the coal loading condition. In this way, LFTS has different characteristics from Mega-Float, which was built in Japan in the late 1990s with the aim of realizing a floating airport, so it is important to clarify its structural characteristics. In order to grasp the stress distribution acting on the structural member in consideration of the influence of the interaction between the overall deformation and the local deformation of LFTS, an analysis in which the entire structure is modeled in detail is desired. However, because members such as the internal bulkheads are arranged in a complicated manner in LFTS, a model in which the entire structure is modeled in detail requires enormous calculation costs in both capacity and time, it is difficult to perform the analysis. In existing research, various models have been studied, but there remains a problem in setting boundary conditions that reproduce the interaction between global and local deformations. And then, in this paper, a new modeling method of LFTS that can be analyzed efficiently was proposed. And the occurrence of stress concentration in the structural members of the LFTS was identified by systematically changing the external force conditions such as the coal loading condition and wave load assumed during the operation of the LFTS, and performing LFTS oscillation analysis and stress deformation analysis. Furthermore, the occurrence of plastic strain due to large deformation was investigated. The stiffening method that efficiently suppresses the occurrence of plastic strain was studied for the locations where the plastic strain was identified by the above analysis. These results demonstrate the importance of modeling large floating structures with complex structures.

This paper describes characteristics of motion responses and tether tensions of a floating structure with four moon pools, on which one or two vertical axis wind turbine models are installed. Effects of several moon pools founded in a floating structure on motion characteristics have been unclear. In this study, the authors proposed a twin-VAWT installed floating system, which was a pontoon based structure. However four moon pools were set on. The study conducted model experiments in a wave tank using regular waves with 0.6 to 2.0 seconds in wave periods and 0.02 and 0.04 m in wave height. The model had four moon pools and was installed with one or two vertical axis turbine models. From it, gyroscopic moment effects were investigated. Besides, the study performed numerical calculations with the linear potential theory based method which were a Green function method. As a results, responses of the twin-turbine model are not affected by gyroscopic moment. The study discusses motion responses and tether tensions with nonlinear behaviours from mainly the experimental results. Also the effect of moon pools were investigated from the calculations. From comparisons of motion results on calculation models with same displacement but different draft, the results suggested that not only heave motion but also roll motion could be reduced because of the moon pools if the size of the moon pools were optimized.

When a tsunami arrives at an urban port, the most serious concern is the damage caused by tsunami drifting objects. In other words, the damage caused by tsunami drifting objects was also enormous, even in previous disasters. Containers, automobiles, timber, and other objects drifted, resulting in a blockade of the port of the harbor, which required a great deal of time and expense to restore. Therefore, estimating the scale and damage of the occurrence of drifting objects in harbors is extremely important in the early restoration and reconstruction of the port. Therefore, the purpose of the present paper is to develop a practical numerical simulator capable of quantitatively predicting the scale and damage of tsunami drifting at a port. In the present paper, we select containers as representative drift objects at ports and quantitatively predict the magnitude of drift damage by containers and other objects. According to the proposed simulator, prediction of the occurrence of the drifting of the container by the tsunami propagation calculation and the MPS method is predicted, and the subsequent drifting behavior of the container is predicted by the individual element method. The occurrence of tsunami drifting, drifting range, drifting speed, and collision force, etc., can be estimated by the proposed simulator. As an example, we present a case of drift damage prediction in the container yard of Shimizu Port in Shizuoka Prefecture.

When a tsunami attacks in harbors, a vessel moored at a wharf is occurred a serious damage. The first wave of the tsunami has two forms and those are called the leading wave and the backwash. And, it is difficult to predict the form of the first wave of tsunamis. Authors have been studying about damage protection measures against the leading wave of vessels moored at wharves. However, it is also necessary that a damage protection measure against the backwash of vessels moored at wharves is considered. In this study, it is examined the damage status of a vessel at a wharf due to the backwash. Then, it is examined the influence of the backwash to the author’s proposal tsunami protection measures. The three dimensional MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method is used. The Backwash is simulated as the dam break phenomenon. Outflow angles, flow velocities, mooring conditions and with and without of tsunami protection measures are considered.

One of the reasonable methods to analyze the collision force of a tsunami drifting object against a structure is a particle method. However, when both the structure and the drifting body are composed of particles, there are various problems such as particles of the collision object slipping through particles of the structure. Therefore, the authors have constructed a particle method - analytical solution hybrid method which can analyze the collision force of a tsunami drifting object to an elastic member by constructing a structure as a boundary condition acting on a drifting object. However, since this boundary was introduced as a virtual boundary that acts only on drifting particles, the collision force of the tsunami drifting object to the structure can be analyzed, but the fluid force can’t be analyzed. Therefore, in this study, in addition to the boundary condition as the structure, we further reconstructed the collision force and the fluid force as a method that can analyze the collision force and the fluid force simultaneously by setting the mirror particle boundary condition for the fluid particle. By developing this method, it became possible to calculate the collision force in a situation where a stagnation point occurs like a flow field at the front of the wall type structure, and the drifting object is decelerating.

Indonesia is a main country supplying coal in the Asia-Pacific region, it is important to ensure a stable coal supply to Japan. Because the topography of the seabed near East Kalimantan Island, Indonesia’s main coal production area, is shallow, it is difficult for bulk carriers to reach the coast. Therefore, Large-Scale Floating Coal Transshipment Station (LFTS) was proposed, which will be used as a relay base between coal-barging barges from land and bulk carriers offshore. Installing an LFTS offshore from East Kalimantan is expected to improve coal transport productivity. LFTS can store coal equivalent to five times the capacity of one bulk carrier (total 500,000T), and can accommodate 2 bulk carriers at the same time during offloading. The scale of LFTS is 590m × 160m. The LFTS has a flat spread and the elastic behavior becomes the dominant Structure. The upper part of the LFTS is different rigidity partly because the partition wall to be loaded by dividing the coal into each quality is provided. Loaded coal not only changes the draft of the LFTS but also greatly deforms the LFTS and is expected to cause local stress concentration on the structural members. Therefore, this paper investigates wave response characteristics and stress characteristics with the coal loading of the LFTS, and then evaluation of structural strength by limit state design method. In this study, linear potential theory and the finite element method (FEM) were used to analyze the static hydroelastic motion under various coal loading condition and wave response of LFTS. And, to grasp the local stress concentration occurring inside the LFTS by using the response results, a detailed model modeling a complicated internal structure was prepared. Zooming analysis which is a method of giving the deformation result by the whole model of LFTS as forced displacement to the local detailed model was carried out. As a result, depending on the coal loading condition and wave conditions, it became clear that LFTS will be in a tough situation.

In 2011, Japan experienced a major catastrophe: The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. After the tsunami struck, overland transport routes were cut off, and consequently, emergency supplies and people requiring medical attention could not be transported very efficiently. Many hospitals and other emergency facilities were destroyed or were operating with reduced capabilities during this period, meaning victims could not receive treatment within a reasonable timeframe. Therefore, we need to consider emergency facilities, particularly for medical support, which are resilient and versatile for use in such situations. Floating bases for disaster relief and support ships are already available for deployment along coastal regions or on rivers near affected areas. A medical support floating base has also been proposed, which is called the Medi-float hereafter, in preparation for the anticipated Tokyo Inland Earthquake. And it is determined that the primary function of this Medi-float should be as a dialysis treatment center during normal operation and primarily for the treatment of crush syndrome patients during a disaster. But the original proposal was deemed inadequate in terms of facility scale and selection of the suitable site of Medi-float. Therefore, in this research aiming at realization of Medi-float, firstly the number of people who develop crush syndrome in the target area is estimated by GIS based on the damage prediction of the huge earthquake striking Tokyo and the risk of building collapse. Based on the distribution of dialysis treatment facilities and data such as road network data in Tokyo, Voronoi diagrams were created using GIS. And facility scale required for Medi-float and suitable installed site were examined by the distribution of crushed syndrome patients obtained by analysis and Voronoi diagram.

Oscillating water column (OWC) types of wave energy converters have still several issues to be studied because system including wave-air-turbine interaction is complex. Besides, scale effects between small scale models and full scale models have not been definite. Although the effect in initial design of OWC devices might been able to be ignored, it is important to understand its characteristics exactly. The present study carried out forced oscillation tests in a water tank corresponding to the radiation problem. Three models whose scale are 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4 were used. In the forced oscillation test, we measured mean water elevation in an airchamber to predict the air flow rate and air pressure inside of the airchamber. From the mean water elevation and the air pressure, the primary power conversion was calculated. As a result, the pressure and the elevation were affected by not only the scale reduction but also the difference of airchamber volume. Variation of the volume of an airchamber affected on hydrodynamic performance sensitively.

This paper describes characteristics of motion responses and tether tensions of a floating structure with four moon pools, on which one or two vertical axis wind turbines are installed. In this study, the authors proposed a twin-VAWT installed floating system, which was a pontoon based structure. However four moon pools were set on. The study conducted model experiments in a wave tank using regular waves with 0.6 to 2.0 seconds in wave periods and 0.02 and 0.04 m in wave height. The model had four moon pools and was installed with one or two vertical axis turbine models. From it, gyroscopic moment effects were investigated. Besides, the study performed numerical calculations with the linear potential theory based method which were a Green function method. As a results, responses of the twin-turbine model are not affected by gyroscopic moment. The study discusses motion responses and tether tensions with nonlinear behaviours from mainly the experimental results.

The large-scale tsunami generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 caused a great deal of damage. In addition to tsunami hydrodynamic forces, loads generated by drifting objects such as ships and cars can cause destruction in coastal areas. As such, impact forces due to collisions of drifting objects are an important consideration in the design and planning of structures in coastal areas. Depending on the size of the drifting object, it is difficult to evaluate the effect of the impact force at the time of collision through tank experiments. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a numerical simulation method that can reasonably evaluate such effects. Such a method must consider the nonlinear interactions among drifting objects, a fluid, and fixed structures. In the present study, we used the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) and finite element methods to calculate the effect of collisions between drifting objects and structures, and then verified the results experimentally. The MPS method was applied to calculate the loads and pressures due to the collisions. These results were then used to simulate the deformation of the structure using the finite element method. A tank experiment was then conducted in order to confirm the accuracy of the numerical calculations. The deformation of a rod-shaped steel structure was measured following collision with a floating acrylic plate. The experimental results confirmed the accuracy of the numerical calculations.

Several types of oscillating water column (OWC) type wave energy converters (WECs) are researched and developed in the world. They are floating types and fixed types. In case of a fixed type, wave dissipating caissons could be replaced to WECs of an OWC type. On OWC types, installation of the projecting-walls (PWs) is useful in order to improve PTO performance. In this study, it was considered that a double dissipating caisson was used as an OWC type WEC with PWs. A front caisson of the double caisson seems the area surrounded by PWs and a back caisson can be seen as an OWC. The paper studied basic property of the primary conversion from wave power to power of air from model tests in a wave tank. As a result, wave height strongly effects on behaviours of OWC motion as well as air pressure. Finally, the primary conversion was affected by wave height. Besides, the concept of use of a double caisson was useful from the primary conversion over 80 % evaluated using test data.

Sea areas around the Japanese Islands which is feasible for tidal current generation are not a lot because sea sites where tidal current velocity is above 2.0 m/s are a few. We can find such sea sites at a west side of the Kyushu Island especially. However, we would earn electrical energy to be generated if it is able to generate electricity long time using around 1.0 m/s in current velocity. A vertical axis turbine should be better than horizontal axis types because VATs can take relatively higher torque. It is very useful that we can set and control a marine turbine to be higher performance in various current velocity. The present study introduce variable pitch-control system to a vertical axis turbine for tidal current generation. The pitch-control system adapts a cycloidal mechanism so that to vary pitch angle of turbine blades is conducted mechanically. The study developed a vertical axis marine turbine with cycloidal pitch-controlled three blades which was based on previous studies and experimental data. The diameter of the turbine is 1.0 m, length of a blade is 1.3 m. The turbine was set on a floating structure in order to carry out towing tests at a sea. We obtained several kinds of data from the towing tests, which were turbine torque, the number of rotation of the turbine, output power from an electrical generator and acceleration of the floating structure. As a result, the turbine made 50 W power from the generator. Although the PTO was not so large, the pitch-control was effective very much. Some issues were found at the same time. We need to consider and develop more useful gears, assemble methods to be feasible of variable pitch system.

In the case of vessels are moored at the quay, the drift and the wash up to the quay due to the broke of mooring lines is occurred by the tsunamis. In the previous study, the authors are examined to the applicability of the proposed tsunami protection measures as the install more mooring lines (IMML) and the floating tsunami protection wharf (FTPW). However, the Fender influences were not considered in previous authors studies. In this study, the fender influences are considered on the numerical simulation. The three-dimensional MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method is used as numerical simulation method. The linear compressing spring model is used as the fender model. The fender influences were investigated against the influences of tsunami protection measures using IMML and the damage status of vessel.