Abstract:
This thesis describes an innovative approach to predicting the response of surface combatant ships to severe underwater explosions using a virtual underwater shock environment, aiming to provide an alternative to difficult and expensive physical testing. The methodology involves performing a non-linear finite element simulation of a generic naval surface combatant subjected to dynamic loads from an underwater explosion. The study predicts and discusses both the resultant hull girder response and local structural response. It demonstrates that this finite element simulation approach to predicting ship shock response is viable with current technology, although further research is required to fully account for issues such as ship damage and global structural collapse due to whipping.
