Automated Assessment of Ultimate Hull Girder Strength

Abstract

An automated approach to ultimate hull girder strength assessment using DRDC’s ultimate strength analysis suite (ULTSAS) is described. The analysis suite improves the ability to perform rapid ultimate strength assessments by providing access to UK and Canadian analysis codes and databases under a single user interface. The interface also allows for automatic cross-sectional model generation from three-dimensional ship finite element models with the MGDSA program. The main features of the ULTSAS system are described, including cross-sectional modelling, and the use of load-shortening curve databases. The paper also provides a review of the progressive collapse method for determining ultimate strength, which is now used in both the UK and Canadian analysis codes. Two numerical approaches are described, one based on curvature incrementing and the other on moment incrementing. It is shown that the moment incrementing procedure produces more accurate bi-axial interaction curves in some instances. Results are obtained for two damage configurations of the HALIFAX class frigate.