Experimental investigation of the generation of large-amplitude internal solitary wave and its interaction with a submerged slender body

A principle of generating the nonlinear large-amplitude internal wave in a stratified fluid tank with large cross-section is proposed according to the ‘jalousie’ control mode. A new wave-maker based on the principle was manufactured and the experiments on the generation and evolution of internal solitary wave were conducted. Both the validity of the new device and applicability range of the KdV-type internal soliton theory were tested. Furthermore, a measurement technique of hydrodynamic load of internal waves was developed. By means of accurately measuring slight variations of internal wave forces exerted on a slender body in the tank, their interaction characteristics were determined. It is shown that through establishing the similarity between the model scale in the stratified fluid tank and the full scale in the numerical simulation the obtained measurement results of internal wave forces are confirmed to be correct.