Two-dimensional diffraction and radiation problems of a floating body in varying bathymetry

In this study, a coupling method of the higher order boundary element method and the eigenfunction expansion method is applied to investigate the diffraction and radiation problems of a floating body over an uneven seabed under the assumption of linear small-amplitude wave theory. The wave exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients are calculated for a floating rectangular box. It is found that the curves of the wave exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients versus frequency become fluctuating as the horizontal length L and vertical height D of the sloping seabed gradually increase. The period of the fluctuations decreases with the increase of L, and the magnitude of the fluctuations increases with the increase of D. The mechanism of the fluctuation phenomenon is then examined, and found that it is associated with the wave reflection from the slope seabed. With increasing horizontal scale L and vertical scale D of the sloping seabed, the amplitude and phase of the reflection wave change, which leads to the combined action of the incident, scattering and reflection waves fluctuating with the wave frequency.