Applied hydrodynamic wave-resistance computation by Fourier transform

An applied Fourier transform computation for the hydrodynamic wave-resistan ce coefficient is shown, oriented to potential flows with a free surface an d infinity depth. The presence of a ship-like body is simulated by its equi valent pressure disturbance imposed on the un-perturbed free surface, where a linearized free surface condition is used. The wave-resistance coefficie nt is obtained from the wave-height downstream. Two examples with closed so lutions are considered: a submerged dipole, as a test-case, and a parabolic pressure distribution of compact support. In the three dimensional case, a dispersion relation is included which is a key resource for an inexpensive computation of the wave pattern far downstream like fifteen ship-lengths. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.