Course syllabus

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MMA168 Marine structural engineering lp2 HT19 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences

Contact details

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to give professional knowledge of design loads, structural characteristics of marine structures (with emphasis on ship structures) and how to carry out analysis of their strength. Limit state design methodologies are taught to demonstrate how to make safe designs and analyses of lightweight stiffened shell structures that are typical of ships and offshore structures. The theory is general while the application is on ship and offshore structures. Examples of fatigue design principles are discussed continuously during the course together with some examples.

Schedule

Lectures and tutorials on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, see TimeEdit

Course literature

The course literature is a theory compendium which can be bought at “KOKBOKEN” at Chalmers Campus Lindholmen. A tutorial compendium and a selection of old exams will be distributed on the first tutorial (free of charge). Additional material will be handed out when necessary.

The book “O. Hughes and J.K. Paik (2010). Ship Structural Analysis and Design. The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA” will also be used but there is no need for students to buy it. It is available on Chalmers library as an e-book. (Will be referred to as “HP” in the course schedule.)

Course design

The course is divided into four parts: design rules and aspects of marine structural engineering, beam theory applied on marine structure designs, the effective flange concept, and structural stability of beams and stiffened shell structures. Examples of fatigue design principles are discussed continuously during the course together with some examples.

  • Design rules and aspects of marine structural engineering:
    • Examples and categorization of various types of marine structure designs.
    • Identification and categorization of loads that act on marine structures, such as wind, wave and impact loads.
    • Study of design rules according to classification societies.
    • Limit states designs.
  • Beam theory applied on marine structure designs:
    • Normal stresses/strains due to axial loading conditions.
    • Normal stresses/strains due to bending (Bernoulli’s hypothesis, Navier’s theory).
    • Normal stresses/strains due to torsion (Vlasov theory).
    • Shear stresses/strains due to bending.
    • Shear stresses/strains due to torsion (Saint-Venant, Vlasov and mixed torsion theory).
  • The effective flange concept:
    • Objective with the concept and motivation to why it must be considered.
    • Calculations using the “summation method”.
    • Calculations using the “elementary case method”.
  • Structural stability of beams and stiffened shell structures:
    • Introduction to ultimate strength analysis.
    • Overview of methods useful for structural stability analysis.
    • Structural stability of beam structures (Euler theory, geometric imperfections, influence from lateral loads, etc).

Analysis of large-scale realistic stiffened shell structures with regard to their stability characteristics and progressive collapse.

Assignments

There are three (3) mandatory assignments in the course:

  1. Structural design for sustainability – comparison of materials (MATLAB or Excel calculations).
  2. General stress analysis of a beam girder (MATLAB calculations).
  3. Stress and buckling analysis of a stiffened plate structure (MATLAB calculations).

Required knowledge to follow the course

Mathematics (including mathematical statistics, numerical analysis and multi-variable calculus), mechanics and strength of materials and engineering materials.

Changes made since the last occasion

The lecture material has been updated and the assignments have been revised.

Learning objectives and syllabus

After finishing the course, the student will have professional knowledge in marine structural engineering and how to make safe designs of marine structures. The student will have professional competence to systematically solve general problems which concerns the structural integrity of structures, in particular stiffened lightweight shell structures.

After completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  • identify and discuss which loads a marine structure is subjected to,
  • use and interpret classification rules in order to design lightweight structures according to given design criteria, and with regard to sustainability and ethical considerations under interrogation of IMO - the International Maritime Organization: safety for humans, the environment and property,
  • carry out full strength analyses (by means of limit state design criteria) of ship and offshore structures,
  • understand and discuss the meaning of the effective flange concept, 
  • identify and discuss the functionality of the structural elements in a ship structure, both from a global and local perspective,
  • understand the functionality and suggest modifications of a ship or offshore design in order fulfill design criteria,
  • carry out a structure stability and buckling analysis of a stiffened thin-walled lightweight structure, and
  • critically evaluate and compare various design concepts with respect to material, geometry and structural aspects.

After finishing the course, the student will have professional knowledge in marine structural engineering and how to make safe designs of marine structures. The student will also have professional competence to systematically solve general problems which concerns the structural integrity of structures, in particular stiffened lightweight shell structures. Hence, the contents and learning outcomes address at least three of UN's Global Sustainable Goals: #9 - Industries, innovation and infrastructure, #14 - Life below water, and #17 - Partnerships for the goals. 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen

Study plan

Examination form

The examination of the course consists of two parts: assignments and 6 weekly tests offered only during the study period the course is held. Each weekly test can give a maximum of 20p and the requirement for passing is 10p.

To pass the course, all assignments must be approved. In addition, the student must pass at least five of the six weekly tests. The final grade is determined by the total performance on the weekly tests. The points on the student’s five best (and approved) weekly tests are summarised where grade 3 on the course is obtained in the interval 50-64p, grade 4 in the interval 65-74p, and grade 5 in the interval 75-100p.

Note: no written exam will be offered during the ordinary written exam period for the course. For students who do not pass the weekly tests, a written exam is offered at the next opportunity for a retake exam of the course (even students who wish to improve their grade can write a retake exam).

Course summary:

Date Details Due