A consideration of the structural design of a large-scale floating structure

The land area of Japan, especially flat land, is very small compared with its economic size. Large-scale floating structures are one solution to satisfy the demand for space by utilizing the ocean. This paper presents a general view of the dynamic response characteristics of large-scale floating structures, pontoons and semi-submersibles. For example, it is shown that the natural frequencies of eigenmodes are higher than the natural frequency of heaving motion. The response of the outer framework of a structure is shown to be generally larger than the response of the central part. Within the limits of our present understanding of the general dynamic response characteristics of such structures, the design and analysis of semi-submersible, large-scale floating structures is discussed. For a pontoon-type large-scale floating structure, a type whose perimeter structure has been modified to become lighter and more rigid is proposed. With this modification, the dynamic response of the whole structure is imporved.