Hydroelastic challenges for wave-impact phenomena in sloshing flow

Depending on the local flow features before the impact, several and complex scenarios can characterize the physical evolutions of a wave impact in a sloshing flow. As a consequence, flip-through event or wave impact with gas-entrapment may happen causing localized and large loads. In all these cases, when the typical temporal duration of the local load is comparable with the lowest natural period of the structure, hydroelasticity matters affecting the integrity of the structure. Here, the experimental investigation about the impact of a wave trapping air against a deformable plate in shallow-liquid conditions is performed. Several sizes of the cavity trapped at the wall will be considered by varying the amplitude of the tank motion, measuring the stresses and deformations of the elastic plate. The effect of the tank ullage pressure variation on the maximum local load are also considered. The study, though at a preliminary stage, emphasizes that the hydroelasticity may be triggered either during the occurrence of the first structural peak load or after the complete closure of the air-cavity. Copyright © 2013 by ASME.