Simulation and experimental testing of the collision behaviour of ships with double hulls filled with particles

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Alexander Düster; Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Wriggers
• Subject Area: Mechanics
• Term: from 2015 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 268649611

The research project aims to improve the safety of ships with a double hull construction by filling them with a suitable granular material. This involves developing and validating simulation methods to increase the collision safety of double-hull vessels. For this purpose, granular materials are used to fill the cavity between the two hull layers which can also be emptied for inspection purposes. In the event that a double hulled-ship collides with another vessel, the use of the filler material increases the penetration resistance, so that a penetration -- of the counterpart's bulbous bows, for instance -- can be avoided. This would considerably reduce the risks of a collision. To evaluate the effectiveness of various granular filling materials, a multiscale simulation method combining modern particle methods and finite element methods is being developed. It will be used to simulate a collision event and examine the suitability of different granular fillers. In the proposed second period of this project the simulation methods will be further developed and applied to the computation of a real double hull structure of a vessel. This will enable us to assess the room for improvement of double hulls that are are filled with granular material. Appropriate experiments will be designed to validate the simulation and to enable a parameter identification of the material models used during the finite element analysis.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants