Service Information about Rational Ship Design

History

ShipTech A/S originally developed the Rational Ship Design (RSD) process for the structural design and appraisal of the large high-speed ocean freighter FastShip TG770. The process was reviewed and informally approved by Det Norske Veritas in May 98 as part of their pre-contract service Structural Design Review. ShipTech then decided to use the success with RSD as a base for further development and expansion of this service.

Objective

The objective with RSD is to make life easier for the people involved in the design and cost calculation of shipbuilding projects and to reach reliable project verification within shorter time.

Having one comprehensive database for the ship project where updated data easily can be traced and used in a consistent way facilitates that objective.

Example of Features

Master Database
ShipTech began in June 98 an internal R&D project for development of software to create and handle a common master database serving as the backbone of RSD services. This R&D project make use of the latest development in IT-technology using object oriented programming and true window-based interfaces.

3D Representation
The database contains scantlings for all major structural parts and a 3D representation of the ship structure, including a precise description of the hull surface.

Load Application
Sea pressure and inertia forces are automatically transferred from hydrodynamic computations tools to structural model using either linear or non-linear approach.

Data Consistency
The software transfers deflections from coarse finite element models to more fine mesh models.

Weight Control
Weight control is an important issue in almost every shipbuilding project. Software to handle weight information and calculate total weight, centre of gravity and radii of gyration in 3D are implemented.

Advantages

General Ship Design Package
RSD matches the program packages developed by almost every major classification society, such as LRS with ShipRight, ABS with SafeHull, DNV with Nauticus and others. The advantages are that RSD is an open system free from bounds to specific computation tools and appraisal programs. This gives posibilites to optimise the structure and therefore reduce weight. The RSD development is solely governed by the objectives of our customers.

Reliable and Fast
The use of a common master database as the backbone of the RSD processes secure consistency in data throughout the project. This increases the speed and reliability of the design process and decreases the possibility of input errors. A unique overview and control of the ship structure is established.

RSD speeds up the ship project decision process
Important ship building information normally available first several months after the commencement of a ship project will be accessible with RSD at an earlier time than using standard design methods. For building cost calculation the RSD database will be able to generate hull structure material lists including weight and size figures for plate and profiles of different qualities. Surface areas for the calculation of coating costs will be available.

For pre-planning of the building process the RSD database will offer information of the building block hierarchy including information on block sizes and weights.

Adjusted to Our Customers
Since ShipTech develop and maintain the computer code, the software can be adjusted to fit any special needs and wishes by our customers. All structural information is accessible and almost any question concerning the structure can be answered.

Examples of such questions are:

• What are the types and total lengths of the profiles used in the structure?
• What is the total number of longitudinal penetrations though web-frames?
• How much welding is needed to build the weather deck?