Experimental assessment of buoyant cylinder impacts through high-speed image acquisition

In this paper, we experimentally study the water entry of a set of buoyant bodies with a circular cylindrical shape, which is relevant for several engineering applications, being related to aircraft fuselages in sea landing, solid rocket boosters, and bulbous bows of large ships. Free fall experiments are conducted for three different specimen weights and four different falling heights. The hydrodynamics of the interaction of the buoyant cylinders with the water free surface upon impact is analyzed through an accelerometer, a high-frequency potentiometer and a high-speed camera. Results are presented in terms of impact velocity, kinematics of the cylinder penetration and free surface dynamics, comprising the pile-up and water jet dynamics. Further, the air cavity development is analyzed after the cylinder is completely immersed below the undisturbed free surface.