Estimation of geometry-based manufacturing cost of complex offshore structures in early design stage

Abstract

A scalar metric for the assessment of hull surface producibility was known to be useful in estimating the complexity of a hull form of ships or large offshore structures by looking at their shape. However, it could not serve as a comprehensive measuring tool due to its lack of important components of the hull form such as longitudinals, stiffeners, and web frames attached to the hull surface. To have a complete metric for cost estimation, these structural members must be included. In this paper, major inner structural members are considered by measuring the complexity of their geometric shape. The final scalar metric thus consists of the classes containing inner members with various curvature magnitudes as well as the classes containing curved plates with single and double curvature distribution. Those two distinct metrics are merged into a complete scalar metric that accounts for the total cost estimation of complex structural bodies.