Bragg scattering of long waves by an array of floating flexible plates in the presence of multiple submerged trenches

Bragg scattering of long gravity waves by an array of floating elastic plates in the presence of a series of rectangular trenches is studied under the assumption of linearized water wave theory and small amplitude structural response. Bragg reflection occurs in the case of an array of multiple floating flexible plates and trenches in isolation or combination, and the number of sub-harmonic peaks between two consecutive peaks is two less than the number of plates/trenches. In the case of long-wave scattering by an array of trenches in the absence of floating plates, wave reflection becomes zero minimum for a certain fixed wavenumber at the end of the first cycle (as referred to 0 < k(1)h(1) < 0.32), irrespective of the even/odd number of trenches. Furthermore, the Bragg resonant reflection pattern of the second cycle is a mirror image of the reflection occurring in the first cycle. Conversely, the symmetric pattern of Bragg reflection exhibited in the case of an array of trenches does not occur for an array of plates in isolation or for plates and trenches in combination. Between consecutive harmonic peaks, the minima/maxima in the wave reflection occur in the case of the even/odd number of trenches/plates in isolation. In contrast, it occurs within the first cycle in the case of trenches and plates in combination. Between consecutive harmonic peaks, maxima/minima of wave reflection coincide for a certain wavenumber, irrespective of the even/odd number of trenches/plates in isolation. In addition, these maxima attained for a certain wavenumber for the even number of trenches/plates are 180 degrees out of phase to that of minima for an odd number of trenches/plates. However, similar phenomena occur within the first cycle of Bragg resonance in the case of trenches and plates in combination. Moreover, the amplitude of oscillation in the wave reflection increases with an increase in plate rigidity. Time-dependent motion due to Bragg scattering by trenches and plates is demonstrated in different cases. Published under license by AIP Publishing.