Numerical simulation of fully nonlinear sloshing waves in three-dimensional tank under random excitation

Based on the fully nonlinear velocity potential theory, the liquid sloshing in a three dimensional tank under random excitation is studied. The governing Laplace equation with fully nonlinear boundary conditions on the moving free surface is solved using the indirect desingularized boundary integral equation method (DBIEM). The fourth-order predictor-corrector Adams-Bashforth-Moulton scheme (ABM4) and mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian (MEL) method are used for the time-stepping integration of the free surface boundary conditions. A smoothing scheme, B-spline curve, is applied to both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the tank to eliminate the possible saw-tooth instabilities. When the tank is undergoing one dimensional regular motion of small amplitude, the calculated results are found to be in very good agreement with linear analytical solution. In the simulation, the normal standing waves, travelling waves and bores are observed. The extensive calculation has been made for the tank undergoing specified random oscillation. The nonlinear effect of random sloshing wave is studied and the effect of peak frequency used for the generation of random oscillation is investigated. It is found that, even as the peak value of spectrum for oscillation becomes smaller, the maximum wave elevation on the side wall becomes bigger when the peak frequency is closer to the natural frequency.