Karhunen-Loeve representation of stochastic ocean waves

A new stochastic representation of a seastate is developed based on the Karhunen–Loeve spectral decomposition of stochastic signals and the use of Slepian prolate spheroidal wave functions with a tunable bandwidth parameter. The new representation allows the description of stochastic ocean waves in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sclavounos, Paul D.
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Royal Society 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79364
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9141-6073
Description
Summary:A new stochastic representation of a seastate is developed based on the Karhunen–Loeve spectral decomposition of stochastic signals and the use of Slepian prolate spheroidal wave functions with a tunable bandwidth parameter. The new representation allows the description of stochastic ocean waves in terms of a few independent sources of uncertainty when the traditional representation of a seastate in terms of Fourier series requires an order of magnitude more independent components. The new representation leads to parsimonious stochastic models of the ambient wave kinematics and of the nonlinear loads and responses of ships and offshore platforms. The use of the new representation is discussed for the derivation of critical wave episodes, the derivation of up-crossing rates of nonlinear loads and responses and the joint stochastic representation of correlated wave and wind profiles for use in the design of fixed or floating offshore wind turbines. The forecasting is also discussed of wave elevation records and vessel responses for use in energy yield enhancement of compliant floating wind turbines.