On slamming load and structural response of a flexible wedge via analytical methods and numerical simulations

The slamming load and structural response of flexible wedges were investigated by both analytical methods and numerical simulations based on the ALE (arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian) coupled method. The cases with various boundary conditions, impact velocities, thicknesses and deadrise angles were simulated and the corresponding slamming loads and the structural responses were discussed as well. The slamming load and the structural response are susceptible to the variation of the deadrise angle. To increase the deadrise angles is an effective way to ensure the structural strength concerning about the impact load. With the increase of the deadrise angle from 10º to 30º, the dimensionless slamming load decreased to 6.9% and the structural response decreased to 6.5%. The hydroelastic effects of the response of the flexible structure under slamming load can be evaluated by the factor ${ {R_{\text{F}}} = {C_{\text{B}}}\tan \beta \sqrt {EI/(\rho {L^3})} /v }$ which combining with boundary condition, deadrise angle and rigidity of the structure. If the R_F＞1.71, the hydroelastic analytical method is an efficient and effective way to evaluate the response of the flexible structure under slamming load.