Spatio-temporal wave patterns due to wave field–structure interaction can be very complex to measure and analyze when using (intrusive) point probes. Free-surface field measurements can offer much needed insight in this domain. Nevertheless, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, these methods are rarely used in experimental offshore engineering and research. In these fields, typical domain sizes are at least in the order of several m², whereas (optical) free-surface field measurements are often not performed in domains with dimensions larger than roughly 0.5 × 0.5 m². In the current work, the optical free-surface measurement technique named Free-Surface Synthetic Schlieren (FS-SS) is applied to measure the interaction between an incident wave field and a surface piercing cylinder, or monopile, in a domain of several m² for the first time. The FS-SS method is validated for wave fields with wavelengths λ ≪ L to λ ≫ L, where L is the domain size in the direction of wave propagation. It is found that the incorporation of an additional water level measurement improves the agreement between intrusive wave height meters and the FS-SS measurement for large wavelengths (λ / L> 0.5) as compared to assuming a zero-mean free-surface. Wave field–monopile interaction is measured for two values of D/ λ: D/ λ= 0.1 and D/ λ= 0.2 , where D is the monopile diameter. For the case D/ λ= 0.2 the interaction wave field is analyzed by subtracting the measured wave field in the absence of a structure, from the measured interaction wave fields. The measured difference wave field reveals many interaction phenomena such as locations of amplification, both near the monopile and further away, a wake that has certain similarities with a Kelvin wake, and a circular small wavelength diffraction pattern. Additionally, the embedding of the measurements in a wave breaking regime map is presented. In this map, the applicability for certain wave conditions can be clearly visualized. It is concluded that the FS-SS method, including the proposed improvement using additional sensor data, is a useful addition to the toolbox of hydraulic engineers and researchers, and that especially the measured locations of wave amplification in the far field will not be easily detected using (arrays of) point probes.

Floating offshore wind platforms may be subjected to severe sea states, which include both steep and long waves. The hydrodynamic models used in the offshore industry are typically based on potential-flow theory, and/or Morison's equation. These methods are computationally efficient, and can be applied in global dynamic analysis considering wind loads and mooring system dynamics. However, they may not capture important nonlinearities in extreme situations. The present work compares a fully nonlinear wave tank (NWT), based on the viscous Navier-Stokes equations, and a second-order potential-flow model for such situations. A validation of the NWT is first completed for a moored vertical floating cylinder. The OC5-semisubmersible floating platform is then modelled numerically both in this nonlinear NWT and using a second-order potential-flow based solver. To validate both models, they are subjected to non-steep waves and the response in heave and pitch is compared to experimental data. More extreme conditions are examined with both models. Their comparison shows that if the structure is excited at its heave natural frequency, the dependence of the response in heave on the wave height and the viscous effects cannot be captured by the adjusted potential-flow based model. However, closer to the inertia-dominated region, the two models yield similar responses in pitch and heave.