A seakeeping analysis method for an air-lifted vessel

A seakeeping analysis in the frequency domain is presented to predict the motion response of an air-lifted vessel (ALV) in waves. The ALV is supported by pressurised air in two separate cushion chambers; the pressure variation in the cushions has a significant effect on the motions of the vessel. The adiabatic gas law is used to couple cushion pressure and the free-surface elevation of water inside the chamber. Attention is focused on the waves generated by the pressure, and a method is presented to compute the corresponding free-surface elevation. New numerical schemes are proposed for calculating the three-dimensional free-surface elevation for the four wave numbers. Numerical results of the free-surface elevation, escape area, escape volume and motion responses of the ALV are provided.