A wavemaker is a main facility for wave simulation in ocean engineering basin, and segmented wavemakers which consist of numerous individually programmed paddles play an increasingly important role in laboratory study of waves and their interaction with ocean engineering structures. The paper introduces the two-sided segmented wavemakers and their wave simulation methods. A preliminary experimental investigation into the long-crested regular waves, irregular waves and 3D short-crested waves was conducted through model tests. The results in time-domain and frequency-domain show that the two-sided segmented wavemakers can simulate longcrested waves and short-crested waves well, which can satisfy the requirements of ocean engineering experiments.
High quality simulation of winds, waves and currents in ocean engineering basin is a basic requirement for model tests of various ocean engineering structures under ocean environment conditions. Wave simulation is the prerequisite to ocean engineering experiments. Whether wave simulation is correct or not is crucial to the accuracy and reliability of model test results. For a long time, long-crested regular waves and random waves have been widely used in theoretical researches and model tests of offshore structures in ocean engineering communities. Long-crested waves play an important role in the design, construction and safe operation of various offshore platforms. The simulation of 3D random waves by physical method in ocean engineering basin is highly necessary for better study of waves and their interaction with ocean engineering structures. Some model tests results show that the hydrodynamic performance of the ocean engineering structures in short-crested waves is obviously different from that in long-crested waves. In order to make the design of ocean engineering platforms more economical, reasonable and reliable, physical simulation of 3D random waves and researches into the dynamic response of offshore structures to short-crested wave forces in ocean engineering basin have become increasingly important.
