Grounding damage of stiffened hull panels: a numerical study on orientation effects and seabed-shape-driven energy dissipation

This study integrates experimental and numerical insights from stiffened-plate penetration tests with analytical seabed geometry to interrogate grounding damage. Using a canonical indenter–plate configuration for stiffened panels, hull penetration resistance is assessed against seabed conditions represented by binormal and polynomial rock geometries. Real multibeam bathymetry is interpolated into continuous surfaces and introduced as rigid indenters, enabling direct comparison between simplified plate-level fracture mechanics and complex grounding loads. Finite element analysis (FEA) with ANSYS LS-DYNA examines three orientations: horizontal (lateral seabed intrusion), vertical (local stranding), and 45° (combined penetration/raking). Results show fracture initiation is governed by local stiffener–plate interactions. Damage evolution and absorbed energy depend strongly on seabed roughness and the projected contact area, thereby linking the fidelity of analytical rock models to penetration resistance.

Subjects

Finite Element Analysis

Grounding

Seabed Geometry

Stiffened Panel

DDC Class

620.1: Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science

Lizenz

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Publication version

publishedVersion

Name

1-s2.0-S2452321626002593-main.pdf

Type

Main Article

Size

1.59 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

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Grounding damage of stiffened hull panels: a numerical study on orientation effects and seabed-shape-driven energy dissipation