Controller Analysis in Real-Time Hybrid Model Testing of an Offshore Floating System

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study using Real-Time Hybrid Model (ReaTHM) testing of a moored floating cylindrical buoy, conducted in a wave basin. ReaTHM testing is a method for studying the dynamics of marine structures by partitioning the system into numerical and physical substructures that are then coupled in real-time using a control system. In this study, the floating cylinder buoy is modelled physically, and the mooring system modelled numerically. In this paper, the effect of selected controller parameters on the performance of the control system is studied, for both wave frequency and low-frequency ranges. The architecture/design of the control system is presented in the first part of the paper, while results from experimental tests with wave excitation on the physical substructure are presented in the second part of the paper.