PARAMETRIC ESTIMATION OF THE DIRECTIONAL WAVE SPECTRUM FROM SHIP MOTIONS

Abstract

A parametric estimation of the directional wave spectrum based on ship motions is presented. The estimation of the sea- state parameters is essential to have an updated data base of the main characteristics of the sea-state, which are useful for several applications on open-sea such as offshore platforms installations and safe ship navigation. The sea-state parameters at a fixed position can be obtained using a traditional waverider buoy. The analogy between the ship and the buoy is clear thus, it is possible to obtain an estimate of the wave spectrum at the location of an advancing ship by processing its wave-induced responses similarly to the traditional waverider buoy. In the parametric procedure the estimated wave spectrum is a-priori assumed to be composed of one parameterized spectrum or by the summation of several parameterized spectra, e.g. the generalized JONSWAP spectrum. Genetic algorithms are applied to found the best estimation of wave parameters. The wave estimation method is validated against numerical simulations and full scale tests in a patrol ship.