Modal Investigation on a Large-Scale Containership Model for Hydroelastic Analysis

A 20,000 TEU containership with an overall length of about 400 m is designed as a target ship to investigate ship hydroelastic characteristics in the joint industry project (JIP) of CSSRC-20,000 TEU. A set of systematic model tests are carried out in the seakeeping wave basin of CSSRC. The large-scale ship model data for hydroelastic experiments are presented with the determination of modal features. The modal test of the containership model is the premise of the hydroelastic analysis. The test of the natural frequency and modal shape of the ship model can be used to corroborate the accuracy of the finite element modelling. A three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) of the ship is employed to carry out modal analysis in a vacuum and provide modal parameters to decide the large-scale ship model data for hydroelastic experiments. Through the analysis of hydroelasticity, the wet frequency corresponding to the motion of each elastic mode is obtained. Good agreement is achieved between the numerical results and the measurement data, particularly for the lower-order modes. Only when the numerical calculations of the dry and wet modes are consistent with the experimental results, the containership model's calculated motion responses and structural loads are comparable to the experimental results. Therefore, examining the modal tests is extremely important for hydroelastic analysis. As the input data, the FEM will be shared with JIP members for further comparative studies of linear and nonlinear hydroelastic analyses. The experiments help provide reliable and accurate benchmark model test data for comparative studies using numerical software and methods.