Abstract
This paper presents the modal superposition method in the application of wave-induced response analysis of mat-like floating plates. This method separates the coupled hydroelastic problem into uncoupled usual hydrodynamic problem and structural dynamic problem by expanding the motion of the plate as a superposition of modal functions which include rigid-body motions and bending modes of the plate. Effects of important parameters such as wave period, direction of incident waves and plate rigidity on the response of the plate are discussed. Comparisons between the two-dimensional analytical solutions and the three-dimensional solutions are also made.
