Optimal Design of a Ship Multitasking Cabin Layout Based on the Interval Optimization Method

Abstract

Searching for the optimal cabin layout plan is an effective way to improve the efficiency of the overall design and reduce the ship's operation costs. Multitasking states of the ship is several statuses when facing different missions during voyage, such as the status of marine supply, emergency escape, etc. Human flow and logistics between cabins will change as the state changes. An ideal cabin layout plan, which directly impact upon the above two factors, can meet the different requirements of several statuses to a higher degree. There are inevitable deviations in the quantification of human flow and logistics, also, the uncontrollability exists in the flow situation during actual operation. Coupling of these deviations and uncontrollability shows typical uncertainties, which must be considered in the design process. It is vital to integrate demands of human flow and logistics in multiple states into an uncertainty parameter scheme. This research involves the uncertainty of adjacent strength and circulating strength obtained after quantifying the human flow and logistics. Interval numbers are used to integrate them, the two-layer nesting system of interval optimization is introduced, and different optimization algorithms are substituted for solving calculations. Comparing and analyzing the calculation results with deterministic optimization, the conclusions obtained can provide feasible guidance for cabin layout design.