Advancements in full-field pressure reconstruction of water-wave impact

A new method for non-intrusive surface load measurement during water wave impact is introduced. The wave impact on a thin steel plate was measured using a deflectometry setup for full-field optical deformation measurements. Surface pressure distributions were reconstructed by applying the global equilibrium equation using the virtual fields method (VFM), enabling full-field and time-resolved information. This approach represents a promising advancement over the conventional point-wise or sub-area measurements that are typically conducted with transducers and load cells. The practical application of this method was demonstrated during an experimental campaign at the SINTEF towing tank facility. The test campaign successfully captured full-field, time resolved deformation data from wave impacts on the investigated flat steel plate specimen. Pressure and forces were reconstructed using the VFM and compared to force panel measurements. The current study shows that this load reconstruction method can provide accurate, time-resolved loading information with a high density of data points. Additionally, the method’s high spatial resolution and sensitivity helped to identify various spatial characteristics of the water wave impact.