Experimental and numerical investigations of the ultimate torsional strength of an ultra large container ship

Structures of ultra large container ships (ULCS) are characterized by large deck openings and low torsional rigidity. It is essential to comprehensively figure out their collapse behaviors under pure torsion with both model experiments and numerical simulations, making an evaluation of their ultimate torsional strength. In this paper, a similar scale model of a 10,000TEU container ship has been designed and manufactured first, in which both geometric similarity and strength similarity are taken into account. Next the collapse behaviors of the test model are detailedly illustrated with both experimentally and numerically obtained results. Then discussions on warping or shear buckling deformations involved in the collapse process of the structure are conducted with extended numerical simulations. Finally, the ultimate torsional strength of the true ship is evaluated according to the similarity theory. Results show that it is the yielding and shear buckling of the side shells that causes the failure of the hull girder under pure torsion. Further nonlinear finite element analysis demonstrates that it may either have warping or shear buckling deformations in the torsional collapse process of the hull girder with a large deck opening, depending on the local rigidity distribution of side shells, which has a significant effect on the ultimate torsional strength of the hull girder.