A vital aspect of
ensuring the cost effectiveness of wave energy converters (WECs) is being able
to monitor their performance remotely through structural health monitoring, as
these devices are deployed in very harsh environments in terms of both
accessibility and potential damage to the devices. These WECs are monitored
through the use of measuring equipment, which are strategically placed on the
device. This measured data is then compared to the output of a numerical model
of the WEC under the same ocean wave conditions. Any deviations would suggest
that there are problems or issues with the WEC. The development of accurate and
effective numerical models is necessary to minimise the number of times the visual
inspection of a deployed WEC is required. In this paper, a numerical wave tank
model is, first, validated by comparing the waves generated to those generated
experimentally using the wave flume located at the National University of
Ireland, Galway. This model is then extended so it is suitable for generating
real ocean waves and a wave record observed at the Atlantic marine energy test
site has been replicated in the model to a high level of accuracy. A
rectangular floating prism is then introduced into the model in order to
explore wave-structure interaction. The dynamic response of the structure is
compared to a simple analytical solution and found to be in good agreement.