Dynamic Response Analysis of Bio-Inspired TSUSUCA DOLPHINPatented

The devastating impacts of tsunamis on humans and strategic infrastructure for naval defence emphasize the requirements for coastal protection. Further, offshore floating platforms are deployed extensively to accommodate the expanding need for oil and gas exploration and wave and wind energy extraction. They are commissioned for limited applications, making them uneconomical. In the present study, a novel attempt is made to combine the functional aspects of coastal protection with energy harvest. The current study focuses on dynamic response analysis of one such novel platform TSUSUCA DOLPHINPatented to act as a tsunami barrier in addition to a wave energy extracting device. Apart from wave energy extraction, solar panels are placed on the deck for additional energy capture. The design follows a bio-inspired geometry to attract tourists under normal sea states. The dynamic response of the multi-body by considering 2 TSUSUCAs is presented. The suggested platform’s dynamic response under regular and irregular waves is being studied numerically and experimentally. The design’s proposed motion characteristics, notably heave and pitch, aid in the capture of wave energy for a wide variety of wave amplitudes. This allows the TSUSUCA body to move in an oscillating motion in the vertical plane, one of the platform’s critical activities: tsunami protection.