ABSTRACT
Offshore platforms, in general, and support systems of wave energy devices, in particular, are often subjected to critical environmental loads that cause serious damage. See, for example, the MARS tension-leg platform (TLP) in the Gulf of Mexico, damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Researchers established that a perforated outer cover reduces the hydrodynamic forces on the members caused by the direct wave impact. One of the successful attempts to reduce wave forces on members is to deploy perforated outer cover around the member; breakwaters with perforated members are classic examples of such kind. To reduce the wave impact on the supporting members of wave energy devices, comprehensive discussions are presented in this chapter through the details of the hydrodynamic response of the inner solid cylinder encompassed with a perforated outer cover. Variation in the water particle kinematics and force reduction is illustrated using detailed numerical studies. This chapter is co-authored by Dr. N. Madhavi, freelance technical designer, San Diego, USA.
