Hydroelastic Response Analysis of Marine Structures

Hydroelastic response analysis examines the dynamic interaction between fluid forces and structural elasticity in marine vessels and offshore installations. This field integrates hydrodynamics, structural mechanics and material science to predict distortions, vibrations and loads arising from wave action, slamming and manoeuvring in varying sea states. Key objectives include accurate estimation of vertical bending moments, local bending stresses and transient whipping and springing effects that can compromise fatigue life and ultimate strength. Numerical methods range from potential‐theory strip models to fully coupled Reynolds‐Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solvers interfaced with finite‐element structural solvers, enabling two‐way exchange of hydrodynamic pressures and elastic deformations. Experimental validation employs segmented scale models, basin tests and full‐scale trials to capture slamming pressures and global hull girder responses. Recent advances address uncertainties in numerical predictions, nonlinearity in fluid–structure interactions and damage scenarios such as flooding or structural breaches. The global significance of hydroelastic analysis spans container ships, tankers, naval vessels, floating wind turbines and offshore platforms, where enhanced predictive capability informs regulatory standards, design optimisation and risk assessment under extreme environmental loading.

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Hydroelastic Response Analysis of Marine Structures publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in hydroelastic response analysis of marine structures across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hydroelasticity: Study of coupled fluid–structure interactions where elastic deformation of a structure influences and is influenced by fluid motion.

Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI): Computational or experimental method capturing the mutual dependence between fluid flow and structural response.

Vertical Bending Moment (VBM): Moment inducing hull girder curvature, driven by wave‐induced pressure distributions along the vessel’s length.

Added Mass: Effective increase in inertia due to acceleration of fluid surrounding a vibrating or moving structure.

Whipping and Springing: Transient, high‐frequency hull vibrations: whipping from slamming events and springing from resonant wave excitation.

Slamming: Impact of waves or green water on a structure, producing short‐duration, high‐pressure loads.

References

1. A hydroelasticity analysis of a damaged ship based on a two-way coupled CFD-DMB method. Ocean Engineering (2023).
2. Review of the uncertainties associated to hull girder hydroelastic response and wave load predictions. Marine Structures (2023).
3. Numerical investigation into combined global and local hydroelastic response in a large container ship based on two-way coupled CFD and FEA. Journal of Marine Science and Technology (2019).