On Rational Design of Double Hull Tanker Structures against Collision

This paper is a summary of recent research and development in areas related to the design technology for double hull tanker structures against low energy collision, jointly undertaken by the Hyundai Heavy Industries, the American Bureau of Shipping, the Technical University of Denmark and the Pusan National University. The goal of the study has been to establish a rational practical design oriented approach to collision resistance that is more sophisticated than previous theoretically based procedures and less complicated than conventional nonlinear finite element methods. The main tasks undertaken in the present study were (i) developing a framework for the collision design procedure for double hull tanker structures, (ii) experimental investigation of the structural crashworthiness of the collided vessels in collision or stranding, using double skinned structural models, (iii) validation of the special purpose nonlinear finite element program ALPS/SCOL for computing the internal mechanics of ship side structures in collision or ship bottom structures in stranding, (iv) development of a simplified method for computing the internal collision mechanics of the colliding vessel's bow structures (v) numerical investigation of the energy absorption capability characteristics of a collided double hull VLCC side structure in collision, and (vi) development of a new modified Minorsky method for double hull tanker side structures. The tools developed and the results and insights obtained by the present study should be useful for the rational design of new double hull tanker side structures against ship collision to reduced the risk of oil pollution and for the collision resistance evaluation of existing double hull tanker structures.