Diffraction Waves About an Advancing Wedge Model in Deep Water

The diffraction of regular waves by advancing wedge models is studied both experimentally and numerically. The nonlinear features of diffracted waves are visualized by wave pattern pictures and the formation is analyzed by the grid-projection method. The experimental observation indicates that the diffracted waves have a number of nonlinear characteristics similar to shock waves due to the interaction of incident waves with the advancing obstacle in the flow-field caused by the advancing motion. Bow waves of both oblique type and normal detached type are observed at remarkably lower Froude numbers than in the case of a ship in steady advance motion. Their occurrence systematically depends on the Froude number and the wedge angle. The numerical simulation of this phenomenon by a finite-difference method shows approximate agreement with the experimental results.