Model Investigation of Dynamic Behaviour and Wave Loads on a Fish Farm Cage

摘要

Recently, fish fanning is considered as an aquaculture arrangement of high effectiveness and fast regain of investments. Considerable efforts have been directed toward development of effective and reliable technologies for design, production and operation of various fish farm structures. However, the complicated structure and the lack of numerical methodology ask for detailed model test confirmation on every design step.rnIn this paper, model tests of a Fish Farm Cage System in still water and waves are described. A Fish Farm Cage System model has been manufactured to a scale of 1:16 and tested. The mooring of each cage has been simulated by a truncated model mooring system, engaging calibrated elastic elements. Special measuring device enabled changing of position of the moored model towards the current and wave front directions.rnCage behaviour in current and waves has been investigated separately and jointly. Current action was modeled by reverse towing. Seakeeping tests were carried out with observation of wetness on the fish farm gangways and with measurement of the line forces in the mooring system, bending moments at the cage corners, shearing forces on the hinge axes and bending moments in selected points along the cage lengths.