Hydroelastic Response due to Springing of Mega-Container Ships An Experimental Study

As the size of the container ship increases, especially the length, the structural rigidity of the ship becomes smaller^ and therefore the natural frequency of 2-noded hull vibration can be relatively low. This increases the frequency of occurrence of wave induced hull vibrations such as whipping and springing. In order to investigate the influence of whipping and springing on the hull structure, experimental studies on the hydroelastic response of a mega-container ship of 12000 TEU have been conducted using a modified Wigley model with the elastic backbone having the rigidity equal to that of the ship in regular waves. Ship motions, hydrodynamic pressures and accelerations were measured in the towing tank.