Numerical Simulation Study For Ship-bridge Collision Dynamic Response

More and more bridges which span across rivers are being built as a result of development of domestic transport. Danger of collapse due to impact between vessels and bridges exists, therefore, it is necessary to consider the carrying capacity for bridges span across fairways. In terms of collision force, semi-empirical formulas given by code of construction are widely applied, however, results are relatively inaccurate against real situations. Nowadays, numerical simulation are increasingly applied in impact problems.This study aims at reproducing the impact force, damage deformation and history of energy absorption by simulation of impact between vessels and bridges. The structural safety of bridges under collision can be accurately assessed in engineering design.In this study, the main researches and achievements are:1. Previous research of impact mechanism, precaution, risk probability and numerical simulation are studied in literature review. Disadvantages of impact force calculation are indicated in the study.2. Design impact force of Zhangjiang bay bridge is calculated by applying the 5 most commonly used domestic and foreign formulas. Comparisons among these 5 formulas are made to analyse the applicable condition and parameter values.3. Precise finite element models of tiers and vessels are created with ABAQUS/-CAE. Impact simulation results obtained by ABAQUS are verified to be accurate.4. ABAQUS/EXPLICIT module is applied in numerical simulation of vessel-bridge collision under 7 different conditions. Force-time plot of impact, energy plot, impact deformation, etc, are obtained by the physical model simulation in ABAQUS.①. Impact force peak is coupled linearly with impact velocity, and average impact force is coupled linearly with square root of DWT. Impact effect angle is equal to the velocity components in normal and tangent direction.②. Kinetic energy of the vessels is mostly transformed into deformation energy in the impact process, while only a small portion of kinetic energy is transformed into the loss of plastic deformation. Deformation energy plays an increasingly important role in total energy with increase of mass and speed, and the proportion of transformation between kinetic energy and internal energy becomes smaller.