Analytic approximation to nonlinear hydroelastic waves traveling in a thin elastic plate floating on a fluid

An analytic approximation method known as the homotopy analysis method (HAM) is applied to study the nonlinear hydroelastic progressive waves traveling in an infinite elastic plate such as an ice sheet or a very large floating structure (VLFS) on the surface of deep water. A convergent analytical series solution for the plate deflection is derived by choosing the optimal convergencecontrol parameter. Based on the analytical solution the effects of different parameters are considered. We find that the plate deflection becomes lower with an increasing Young’s modulus of the plate. The displacement tends to be flattened at the crest and be sharpened at the trough as the thickness of the plate increases, and the larger density of the plate also causes analogous results. Furthermore, it is shown that the hydroelastic response of the plate is greatly affected by the high-amplitude incident wave. The results obtained can help enrich our understanding of the nonlinear hydroelastic response of an ice sheet or a VLFS on the water surface.