Experimental studies on performances of flexible floating oil booms in coupled wave-current flow

•Realistic booms with three degree of freedom are adopted in physical tests.•Hydrodynamic performances of boom subject to waves and currents are investigated.•The effects of boom characteristics on boom effectiveness are investigated.•Hydraulic and containment performances of flexible boom are compa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied ocean research 2017-12, Vol.69, p.38-52
Main Authors: Shi, Yang, Li, Shaowu, Zhang, Huaqin, Peng, Shitao, Chen, Hanbao
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Boom effectiveness
Effects
Flexible floating oil boom
Floating
Floating barriers
Fluid mechanics
Hydrodynamic performance
Hydrodynamics
Ocean currents
Ocean waves
Oil slicks
Oil spills
Ratios
Sea surface
Studies
Temperature (air-sea)
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Summary:•Realistic booms with three degree of freedom are adopted in physical tests.•Hydrodynamic performances of boom subject to waves and currents are investigated.•The effects of boom characteristics on boom effectiveness are investigated.•Hydraulic and containment performances of flexible boom are compared with rigid one. Floating oil booms are commonly-adopted facility to collect spilled oil on sea surface, or to protect specific areas against oil slick spreading. In this study, 931 runs of laboratory test were carried out under wave-current coupling conditions to investigate hydrodynamic performances of the flexible floating oil boom. The tests first conducted a comparison on motion responses between the flexible floating boom and the rigid one to indicate the necessity of taking the flexibility of boom into consideration. Then a comprehensive analysis was carried out to investigate the effects of the ambient currents, waves and the boom characteristics of material stiffness, diameter of floater, length of skirt, and B/W (Buoyancy/Weight) ratio on the motion responses of the flexible floating booms. Finally, by taking the water blockage effect in front of the boom into consideration in the definition of boom effectiveness, the effective draft and freeboard were compared between the flexible boom and rigid one under fixed current and wave conditions. The effects of currents, waves, skirt lengths and B/W ratios on the effective draft and effective freeboard are assessed.
ISSN:0141-1187
1879-1549
DOI:10.1016/j.apor.2017.10.001