Abstract: Abstract： Rectangular and cylindrical tubular backbones were used to serve as the backbones of a segmented model for wave load tests. The backbones were designed to meet the stiffness distribution requirements of the model in order to be similar to that of ship prototype. The model was tested in a towing tank in different sea states at different sailing conditions. The results indicate that the segmented model proposed in this paper is capable of simulating the elastic effects of ship sailing in oblique waves. In addition, the threedimensional nonlinear hydroelasticity theory was adopted to calculate the wave load responses of the ship sailing in oblique wave conditions. The comparison of the numerical results and the experimental results shows that the wave loads obtained by the two methods are in good agreement.

Key words: Key words： wave load test, backbone, segmented model experiment, hydroelasticity theory