Finite element analysis for estimating steel structure responses under a variety of marine-collision actions

Abstract

This study conducted a series of ship collision analyses to observe the effect of external parameters on the responses of steel structures. Variations in mass are represented by using different ship types as the striking ship, while an oblique collision was conducted initially and was compared to a perpendicular collision scenario. The other involved ship was denoted as the struck ship, and the side structures of a RoRo passenger ship were designated as the target. Crashworthiness criteria produced by the finite element analysis can be summarised to illustrate the trends in structural responses for the selected parameters. Based on this summary of the FE solutions, satisfactory results were obtained, as the rigid striking ship successfully produced a higher internal energy. In terms of the damage extent, the larger dimensions of the cargo carrier as the striking ship (compared to the struck ship) significantly crushed the target structure.