Elastic wedge impact onto a liquid surface: Wagner's solution and approximate models

The problem of elastic wedge impact onto the free surface of an ideal incompressible liquid of infinite depth is considered. The liquid flow is two-dimensional, symmetric and potential. The side walls of the wedge are modelled as Euler beams, which are either simply supported or connected to the main structure by linear springs. The liquid flow, the deflection of wedge walls and the size of wetted region are determined simultaneously within the Wagner theory of water impact. We are concerned with the impact conditions of strong coupling between the hydrodynamic loads and the structural response. The coupling is well pronounced for elastic wedges with small deadrise angles. This is the case when the fully nonlinear models fail and approximate models based on the Wagner approach are used. In contrast to the existing approximate models, we do not use any further simplifications within the Wagner theory. Calculations of the velocity potential are reduced to analytical evaluation of the added-mass matrix. Hydrodynamic pressures are not evaluated in the present analysis. In order to estimate the maximum bending stresses, both stages when the wedge surface is partially and totally wetted are considered.Three approximate models of water impact, which are frequently used in practical computations, are examined and their predictions are tested against the present numerical solution obtained by the normal mode method within the Wagner theory. It is shown that the decoupled model of elastic wedge impact, which does not account for the beam inertia, provides a useful formula for estimating the maximum bending stress in thick wedge platings.