A new orthogonal inner product is developed based on the Fourier analysis and then utilised to study the scattering of surface waves by a floating semi-infinite elastic plate in a two-dimensional water domain of finite depth. The problem is studied for various wave and geometrical conditions. Especially, the influence of different edge conditions on the hydrodynamic behaviour is investigated and compared. The present solution method seems to be the most elegant one to solve this class of problems in the available literature.
A great deal of effort is put to effectively utilise the ocean space for human activities and developments. Certain huge platforms are constructed or extended from shoreline to provide more dry space, while infrastructures like floating ports, mobile offshore bases, are built as working spaces. At recent times, several artificial floating islands are constructed offshoreline. Such huge floating structures are categorised as Very Large Floating Structures (VLFS). Before the construction and positioning of any VLFS, careful and detailed studies are needed to investigate the hydrodynamic performance and hydroelastic behaviour of the system. However, due to the large size of the structure, the computational burden becomes so large that it is difficult to carry out the full analysis. In order to overcome this difficulty, the structure is often assumed to be of semi-infinite length compared to the wavelength and the amplitude of deflection of the plate (Kagemoto et al., 1998). Under most considerations, marine bodies are assumed rigid in the presence of waves and their elastic deformations are neglected (Holford, 1964a, 1964b). However, the hydroelastic effect should be considered under certain wave conditions when (i) the body itself is flexible, (ii) the body is very thin compared to wave parameters, and
