Wave-Impact in a Sloshing Tank: Hydroelastic Challenges

Wave-impact in sloshing flows is an important issue for the safety of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers. Although LNG tanks have filling restrictions, they must be able to operate at any filling depth. The full understanding of the physical phenomena and the accurate evaluation of the local loads in sloshing-induced slamming events occurring in completely, partially or barely filling conditions, is a challenge of the research field. Violent free-surface motions in a sloshing tank generally occur when the energy spectrum of the ship motion is focused in the frequency region close to the lowest sloshing mode of the tank. Slamming events may occur originating impulsive and large local loads that undermine the integrity of the structure