A new rational-based optimal design strategy of ship structure based on multi-level analysis and super-element modeling method

Abstract

A new multi-level analysis method of introducing the super-element modeling method, derived from the multi-level analysis method first proposed by O. F. Hughes, has been proposed in this paper to solve the problem of high time cost in adopting a rational-based optimal design method for ship structural design. Furthermore, the method was verified by its effective application in optimization of the mid-ship section of a container ship. A full 3-D FEM model of a ship, suffering static and quasi-static loads, was used as the analyzing object for evaluating the structural performance of the mid-ship module, including static strength and buckling performance. Research results reveal that this new method could substantially reduce the computational cost of the rational-based optimization problem without decreasing its accuracy, which increases the feasibility and economic efficiency of using a rational-based optimal design method in ship structural design.

Optimisation of passenger ship structures in concept design stage

“…Application of larger scale optimization problem can be simplified by using surrogate (Prebeg et al 2014) and sub-modelling techniques. Sun and Wang (2011) optimized the container ships mid-section where the displacement boundary conditions were obtained from the super-elements in the fore-and aft-sections. However, this technique is unsuitable for large passenger ships, where the sections and blocks are not identical and the response analysis has to be performed fast and flexibly as the ship's general arrangement often changes and due to complex interactions between the hull and the superstructure.…”