Rapid prediction of structural responses of double-bottom structures in shoal grounding scenario

This study presents a simplified analytical model for predicting the structural responses of double-bottom ships in a shoal grounding scenario. This solution is based on a series of analytical models developed from elastic-plastic mechanism theories for different structural components, including bottom girders, floors, bottom plating, and attached stiffeners. We verify this simplified analytical model by numerical simulation, and establish finite element models for a typical tanker hold and a rigid indenter representing seabed obstacles. Employing the LS-DYNA finite element solver, we conduct numerical simulations for shoal-grounding cases with a wide range of slope angles and indentation depths. In comparison with numerical simulations, we verify the proposed simplified analytical model with respect to the total energy dissipation and the horizontal grounding resistance. We also investigate the interaction effect of deformation patterns between bottom structure components. Our results show that the total energy dissipation and resistances predicted by the analytical model agree well with those from numerical simulations.