LONGITUDINAL STIFFNESS ANALYSES FOR THE PROPULSION SHAFTING SYSTEMS OF THE POLAR CLASS ICEBREAKERS

During the first and second seasons of its deployment in the Antarctic region, the new United States Coast guard Icebreaker, POLAR STAR, experienced longitudinal vibration problems in the center and wing shaft systems while breaking ice. To minimize and hopefully eliminate the vibratory responses, the USCG initiated several investigations, some of which will be treated in this paper. One of the items under study concerned the axial stiffness of the shafting systems that is contributed by the thrust bearings, their housings and the foundations on which they rest. Aside from model test studies, numerical assessments were made of these stiffnesses using finite element methods and other techniques. In all, three sets of thrust bearing foundations were analyzed in great detail. These include the original (as-built) foundations, a modified configuration that was subsequently adopted for the wing shafts of the POLAR STAR and POLAR SEA, and a reinforced configuration that represents an upper bound on the foundation stiffness that can be achieved without drastic changes in shafting system architecture. The bulk of the paper deals with the development of the three finite element models that were exercised with the NASTRAN Computer Program to predict the stiffness of the three foundation designs. Various considerations that arise in model formulation are treated in some detail, especially the influence of chosen boundary conditions on the final answers. A simplified procedure is next outlined and used for estimating the stiffness of the thrust bearing itself. The estimate is based upon the use of simple structural models whose flexibilities are summed to get the net system flexibility. The results of all the calculations are reviewed in light of the broader objectives of the overall program and recommendations are given for further investigations that will aid in the understanding of the Icebreaker vibration problems.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00281425
• Supplemental Notes:
  • ASNE Day 1980 Technical Paper: Session No. 6--Machinery.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Naval Engineers

  Suite 507, 1012 14th Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • Vassilopoulos, L
  • Hamilton, F M
• Publication Date: 1980-4

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 179-195
• Serial:
  • Naval Engineers Journal
  • Volume: 82
  • Issue Number: 2
  • ISSN: 0028-1425

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearings; Bridge bearings; Computer programs; Finite element method; Foundations; Icebreakers; Mathematical models; Propeller shafts; Shafts (Machinery); Thrust bearings; Vibration
• Old TRIS Terms: Bearing foundation stiffness; Computer programs (Bearing foundations); Model testing; Propeller shaft vibration; Shaft vibration
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00312239
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 26 1980 12:00AM