SEAKEEPING PERFORMANCE OF A CONTAINMENT BOOM SECTION IN RANDOM WAVES AND CURRENTS

The seakeeping characteristics of various boom geometries in irregular waves and currents are investigated. The response of a floating boom section on the open sea is a function of a number of parameters, such as boom geometry, distribution of mass, buoyancy/weight ratio, and wav e and current characteristics. To understand the relationship between these design parameters more clearly, a series of regular and irregula r wave tests were conducted with six different 1:4 scale models for th ree current velocities and six different wave conditions. To simplify the problem, only rigid boom sections consisting of a buoyancy cylinde r and vertical skirt were used. In parallel with this experimental pro gram, a numerical model for the responses of two-dimensional Boating b oom sections in small-amplitude waves is also developed. The numerical results are compared with our large-scale experimental results. The b oom effectiveness on the open sea is evaluated based on the concept of ''effective draft'' and ''effective freeboard'' assuming that drainag e and oversplashing failures are the prime mechanisms of containment f ailure. Using the present results, a guideline for the optimum design/ selection of future booms is developed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.