Structural design of hinge connector for very large floating structures

Lu, Ye, Teng, Bei, Wang, Yikun, Zhou, Ye, Cheng, Xiaoming and Qi, Enrong (2019) Structural design of hinge connector for very large floating structures. The 14th International Symposium on Practical Design of Ships and Other Floating Structures, , Yokohama, Japan. 22 - 26 Sep 2019.

Abstract

Very large floating structures (VLFS) are usually composed of a number of structural modules. These are a set of semi-submersible floating bodies with similar sizes, connected by several connectors with a specific rigidity. Due to the potential severe sea states that the VLFS may encounter, the connectors become the most critical devices and inevitably the weakest link, determining the strength capacity of the entire structure. To ensure the structural safety and the integrity of the VLFS, the strength of the connectors needs to be evaluated accurately. This study numerically explores the strength of the hinge type connectors. Considering the dynamic characteristics of the connectors, a strength model of flexible connector is proposed and analysed. The results indicate that the hinged type flexible connector with hollow circular variable-cross-section pin shaft is capable of adjusting the stiffness of the whole structures and decreasing the shocks and abrasion by filling with flexible materials. Therefore, the safety and reliability of the module connections in a VLFS can be guaranteed.

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Contributors

Author: Yikun Wang

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