Impact of Wave Irregularity on Hydrodynamic Forces Acting on a Vertical Cylinder in the Persian Gulf

• Published in: Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 62 - 73
• Main Authors: Mahdi Saleh, Rouhollah Amirabadi, Mahdi Sharifi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: K. N. Toosi University of Technology 01.05.2025
• Subjects: dynamic analysis; offshore structure; random wave; wave irregularity; wave spectrum
• ISSN: 2345-4296; 2783-3941
• DOI: 10.61186/NMCE.2501.1083

The development of marine structures for harnessing natural resources, especially clean energy technologies like offshore wind turbines, is crucial. Waves are a primary design force, significantly impacting the stability and performance of these structures. However, the lack of precise field data and comprehensive wave records poses challenges. This study proposes a novel method to generate accurate artificial wave records efficiently, addressing the limitations of conventional approaches that requires extensive wave data and time-consuming analyses. Field observations of wave duration and heights in the Persian Gulf were analyzed, and a modified JONSWAP spectrum, tailored to the region, was used to generate random wave records with fewer required waves. The study also examined the impact of wave irregularity on structural forces by comparing forces on a vertical cylinder from the generated wave records and a 100-year return period wave. Results show that the proposed method achieves high accuracy while significantly reducing computational effort. It successfully identifies spectral peaks and generates reliable wave records using only 50 waves, reducing engineering time by up to 90% while maintaining 97.1% accuracy. The study also introduces a relationship to estimate wave duration based on field data, proposing a 3-hour duration for 100-year return period waves. The findings highlight the method’s effectiveness in improving wave load analysis for marine structures in data-scarce regions like the Persian Gulf, offering a robust framework for future research and design optimization.