Optimization Analysis of the Shape and Position of a Submerged Breakwater for Improving Floating Body Stability

Submerged breakwaters can be installed underneath floating structures to reduce the external wave loads acting on the structure. The objective of this study was to establish an optimization analysis framework to determine the corresponding shape and position of the submerged breakwater that can minimize or maximize the external forces acting on the floating structure. A two-dimensional frequency-domain boundary element method (FD-BEM) based on the linear potential theory was developed to perform the hydrodynamic analysis. A metaheuristic algorithm, the advanced particle swarm optimization, was newly coupled to the FD-BEM to perform the optimization analysis. The optimization analysis process was performed by calling FD-BEM for each generation, performing a numerical analysis of the design variables of each particle, and updating the design variables using the collected results. The results of the optimization analysis showed that the height of the submerged breakwater has a significant effect on the surface piercing body and that there is a specific area and position with an optimal value. In this study, the optimal values of the shape and position of a single submerged breakwater were determined and analyzed so that the external force acting on a surface piercing body was minimum or maximum.