Abstract
Very Large Floating Structure(VLFS) is regarded as one of promising candidates for the future utilization of ocean space. VLFS has the merits of small environmental effect. short construction term, easiness for extension and removal. It is well known that hydroelastic response is one of major design concerns of such a huge structure. Most of studies on the hydroelastic analysis of VLFS assumed uniform mass and bending stiffness. In case of a floating hotel where noticeable change of mass and stiffness at the hotel part is expected. it is necessary to investigate the effect of nonuniform mass and bending stiffness on the hydroelastic response. A model test of a pontoon type VLFS with nonuniform bending stiffness carried out for performance evaluation of a floating marina-hotel-convention center is described in this paper. Through investigation of model test results and comparison with numerical analysis using eigenfunction method, effect of the variation of bending stiffness is discussed.