Oblique Wave Scattering by a Floating Bridge in the Presence of a Vertical Permeable Flexible Barrier

The interaction between oblique water waves and floating bridge in the presence of a vertical partial flexible permeable barrier is studied under the assumption of the linear water wave theory in finite water depth. The associated mathematical problem is handled for a solution using the least-squares approximation method. The reflection and transmission coefficients, free surface elevation, wave force acting on the bridge and barrier are computed to study the effects of various wave and structural parameters for three different edge conditions. The study reveals that wave reflection decreases with an increase in porosity, and a reverse pattern is found in the case of wave transmission. As the normalized spacing between the barrier and the floating bridge increases, the reflection coefficient follows a periodically oscillatory pattern. Furthermore, it is noticed that regardless of the barrier configurations, the wave reflection increases for an increase in the angle of incidence. It is also found that the surface-piercing barrier is more efficient than the bottom-standing barrier as a wave barrier. Moreover, the results indicate that by placing a porous flexible barrier at an appropriate position, the wave force on the bridge can be reduced significantly.