Experimental study on a dolphin-fender moored pontoon-type structure

Abstract

In this paper, a dolphin-fender moored pontoon type floating structure in shallow water depth is studied focusing on mooring force especially. The proposed prototype pontoon-type floating structure is 500m long, 300m wide with non-uniform draft of 2.0m & 3.0m. The employed mooring system is a guyed frame type dolphin-fender system. The 1/125 scale model is designed on the basis of the law of similitude. The model fender system is designed to have bi-linear load deflection characteristics and made of rubber tube. A series of model tank test has been conducted focusing on the study of motion and fender force responses in regular and irregular waves at KRISO's ocean engineering basin. Non-linear numerical simulation of mooring forces and fender reaction force has been carried out and compared with the results of model test. The simulated rigid body motion and mooring forces has also been compared with test results. Copyright ？ 2004 by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers.