Investigation of Numerical Analysis for Slamming Loads

Abstract

Numerical analysis to evaluate slamming is today accurate but rather time consuming. The industry lacks a practical method to predict slamming on appendages in a simple manner since the simulation cost is too high. This paper examines a numerical method simulated in OpenFOAM, with use of the interDyMFoam utility and the volume of fluid method (VOF). The method is verified through recreation of two drop test experiments along with a fin equipped hull. The hull is compared to the estimated design load proposed by ABS whilst the experiments are compared to the experimental data along with similar research executed with alternative methods. It was found that the investigated method predicts the slamming load of the experiments with an accuracy of ±20%. A result that can be reduced to ±5 − 10% with use of a finer mesh. The slamming duration is not captured with decent accuracy and future research to improve the surface definition is needed to improve the overall accuracy.