Vertical Wedge Drop Experiments as a Model for Slamming

A deeper comprehension of hydrodynamic slamming can be achieved by revisiting the wedge water entry problem using flexible structures. In this work, two wedge models that are identical, with the exception of different bottom thicknesses, are vertically dropped into calm water. Pressure, full-field out-of-plane deflection, strain, vertical acceleration, and vertical position are measured. Full-field deflections and strains are measured using stereoscopic-digital image correlation (S-DIC) and strain gauges. A nondimensional number, R, quantifying the relative stiffness of the structure with respect to the fluid load is revisited. An experimental parametric study on the effect of R on the nondimensional hydrodynamic pressure and the maximum strain is presented. It was found there is a sharp change in the trend of pressure and strain when R passes through a critical value. It was also discovered that the structural deformation causes a delay in the peak pressure arrival time and a reduction in the peak pressure magnitude during the wedge water entry. When high-speed planing craft operating in waves becomes airborne and reenters the water surface, a substantial impact or “slam” between the vessel bottom and the water surface will occur (Faltinsen 2005; Lloyd 1989). The bottom slamming events occur frequently and may injure the passengers, compromise the equipment onboard, or even damage the structure. Slamming is a major cause of speed reduction in small craft where slamming loads are important. Current design criteria are primarily based on empirical measurements with little regard for the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) physics of the slamming phenomenon. This study offers a first step toward better understanding of FSI in slamming for optimal structural design in the future. Since the cross sections of most surface effect ships may be approximated by a V-shaped wedge, the slamming characteristics of these sections may be examined by dropping a wedge model into water (Faltinsen 2005; Lloyd 1989). Studying the wedge water entry problem is also helpful in shedding light on the wet deck slamming of catamaran, sloshing under the chamfered roof of a partially filled tank (Faltinsen 2000), seaplane landing (Wagner 1932), water landing of spacecraft and solid rocket boosters, water landing/ditching of aircraft (Abrate 2013), and animal diving behavior (Chang et al. 2016).