This paper presents a study on a cost-effective engineering model that integrates an array of floating wave energy converters with a vast platform, a viable option for multi-functional performance in renewable energy capture and ocean space utilization. The wave energy converters are floating buoyance columns flexibly connected with the elastic platform. Hydrodynamic interactions among the columns are analyzed using an exact matrix transform method based on linear wave theory in the frequency domain. A parametric governing equation of compounded wave energy converter referred to as a wave farm is formulated by using Hamilton’s principle which can be discretized using the Galerkin method. The effects of wave conditions and the parameters of hydraulic power take-off (PTO) on the wave energy absorption and dynamic characteristics of the energy harvesting system are investigated. Furthermore, the wave energy capture on irregular waves is also discussed. This research work aims at providing a theoretical guidance for wave energy harvesting system design.

The very large floating structure (VLFS) designed for a floating airport and giant operating platform on sea consists of multiple floating modules with flexible connectors, which is a typical nonlinear dynamic network involving complex collective dynamics. The study focuses on the typical behaviors of amplitude death (AD) that is significantly important to the global dynamic stability of the VLFS system. A nonlinear dynamic model for a chain-formed VLFS with piecewise-nonlinear-coupling is developed. We investigate the onset of amplitude death in design parametric domain, and discuss the mechanism of the phenomenon corresponding to the coupling strengths. The numerical results show that by varying coupling strengths, a weak periodic oscillation can be rapidly bifurcated into high-order periodic or chaotic motions with large oscillations. The amplitude death is illustrated in the parametric domain of coupling strengths, which provide a new insight and theoretical guidelines for the VLFS safety design.