Heaverelated

Heaverelated is a term used in naval architecture and offshore engineering to denote phenomena, analyses, or design considerations that pertain to the vertical motion of a floating or buoyant structure caused by wave action. It encompasses the heave displacement, velocity, and acceleration as well as the resulting vertical loads and structural response. While not a formal discipline in every standard text, heaverelated topics are routinely addressed in stability assessments, mooring design, and dynamic positioning systems.

The word combines "heave," the vertical motion about the horizontal axis, with "related," indicating a focus on vertical dynamics in seas and waves. It is not widely standardized across institutions, and its exact scope can vary—from broad discussions of heave physics to specific concerns for a particular platform or device.

In practice, heaverelated analysis is critical for offshore platforms, ships, subsea installations, and wave energy converters. Engineers examine heave-induced loads on hull girder, decks, and moorings, as well as drafts, ballast changes, and survivability under extreme waves.

Modelling approaches include linear potential-flow methods for prediction of heave response, time-domain simulations with hydrodynamic forcing, and fully nonlinear CFD in challenging cases. Measurements use motion sensors and sea-state data to validate models and to calibrate control systems that mitigate vertical motion.

Related concepts include heave, six degrees of freedom, and wave-structure interaction.