Fluid-structure interaction analysis of vessel-bridge-steel floating fender collisions

Floating fenders have been widely used to protect bridge structures from vessel collisions. Current studies overlook the surrounding water in the performance analysis of floating fenders without demonstrating the validity of this assumption. To address this gap, high-fidelity finite-element models are established to clarify the water-vessel-fender-bridge interaction during collisions and quantify the influence of the surrounding water. In this research, the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method and the Structured-ALE (S-ALE) method are examined and validated by a physical experiment. It's found that the S-ALE method is superior to the ALE method in accuracy and efficiency. Various collision scenarios are conducted using the validated modeling method. The results reveal a significant influence of the surrounding water on vessel-bridge-steel floating fender collisions, peak impact forces, and energy dissipation. The surrounding water offers a considerable reduction (up to 63.9%) in peak impact force. The energy dissipation ratios of the surrounding water range from 11.5% to 25.8%, exceeding those of the impacting vessel. Neglecting the surrounding water in the constant added mass method leads to substantial deviations in the performance assessment of the steel floating fender. This study demonstrates the potential for positive water utilization as a medium for energy dissipation to save on protection.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.116828
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029801824001653
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00298018
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Wu, Qinglin
  • He, Yaobei
  • Yu, Zhaolong
  • Wang, Junjie
  • Fan, Wei
  • 0000-0002-6074-2917
• Publication Date: 2024-3-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 116828
• Serial:
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Volume: 295
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Pergamon
  • ISSN: 0029-8018
  • EISSN: 1873-5258
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00298018

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Dissipation; Hydrodynamics; Lagrangian functions; Marine fenders; Ships; Water transportation crashes
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01908599
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 20 2024 9:25AM