Twentieth International Workshop on Water Waves and Floating Bodies

The International Workshop on Water Waves and Floating Bodies (IWWWFB) is an annual meeting of engineers and scientists with special interests in water waves, and the effects of waves on floating or submerged bodies. The Workshop was organized initially by Prof. D. V. Evans (University of Bristol) and Prof. J. N. Newman (MIT), following informal and ad hoc meetings between their research groups in 1984. Initially intended to promote communications between workers in the UK and USA, the interest and parti cipation quickly spread to include other countries. Particular emphasis is given in the organization and conduct of the Workshop to participation of young researchers including post-graduates; interdisciplinary discussion amongst engineers and scientists; and presentation of preliminary work before it is published elsewhere. Attendance is restricted to the authors of submitted papers, which are judged for acceptance by a small committee. The meeting gathers the international experts in the field of marine hydrodynamics: matematics with applications to water wave motion and their interaction with ships and ocean structures like offshore platforms. The meeting has usually 70-80 participants and 50-60 lectures. Some of the lectures also describe particular challenges from an industrial point of view. The fourth meeting in the series was held in Øystese i Norway in 1989, and hosted by Univ. of Oslo (E. Palm, E. Mehlum, J. Grue). There has always been a strong interaction between the groups in marine hydrody namics/wave theory at Univ. of Oslo, NTNU, Univ. of Bergen and the international community related to the IWWWFB. Particular relations and collaboration have developed among some of the distinguished members of the IWWWFB-community and representatives in industry parties. This has resulted in development of software tools for wave analysis of offshore structures, particularly useful for the Norwegian offshore industry.