Abstract
This paper aims to discuss experimentally the vertical wave forces acting on a submerged sphere located near the bottom and free surface boundaries. The time variations and maximum values of the vertical wave forces are investigated in relation to the appropriate dimensionless physical quantities.
The lift force caused by the asymmetric pressure distribution and the flow separation dominates over the vertical inertia and drag forces in the case that the sphere is located near the bottom boundary. The lift force enlarges the maximum vertical force. However, in case of the sphere located near the free surface, the free surface proximity effects little to the maximum vertical force.
This paper proposes new equations which estimate well the wave force acting on the sphere located near the boundaries. Good agreement between the measured and calculated wave forces is confirmed.
