Exploring the math of ship motion in waves and how water moves around a hull
This advanced study presents a mathematical model for how a ship’s hull interacts with water waves. It focuses on a velocity potential approach and a sequence of boundary value problems that describe the surrounding fluid. The text shows how to break the overall problem into simpler parts and how to use coordinate systems, harmonic functions, and perturbation techniques to understand fluid motion.
The work walks through constructing solutions with Green’s functions, Fourier transforms, and separation of variables. It explains how to handle moving boundaries, infinity behavior, and wave incidence at an angle to the ship’s course. The goal is to derive a workable description of the fluid field when the ship experiences waves, including how to represent the air-water interface and the disk-like projection of the hull in a steady equilibrium.
What you’ll experience
- A step-by-step setup of the velocity potential and boundary conditions for ship motion in waves
- Techniques to decompose the problem into homogeneous and inhomogeneous parts
- Use of Green’s functions, Fourier and Hankel transforms, and series expansions
- A structured method to couple hull geometry with wave-induced motion
Ideal for readers of applied mathematics, naval engineering, and fluid dynamics who want a rigorous, practical framework for wave-ship interactions.