Development of a pushed barge with optimum performance on shallow draughts

Abstract

This study investigates the possibility for improvement of cargo transport within the European inland water ways by exploring the design and optimization of a specific type of cargo vessel capable of coping with the events of shallow water while also maintaining a plausible solution in normal water conditions. The proposed vessel is a pushed barge designed and optimized for high flexibility in operation and cargo type transport in shallow and normal water conditions. The traditional ship design principles are been applied for the initial design and realization of the proposed vessel while various tools available for the optimization of the design are implemented ahead of the water level restrictions. The proposed vessel is optimized with the aim of minimizing the overall light ship weight through structural weight reduction by a careful assessment of the vessel‘s main dimensions and hull structure while conforming to structural, economic and production constraints. Considerable reduction in structural weight was realized through the application of design bending moments obtained by direct calculations as opposed to traditional rule-based design bending moments. Proof of structural strength for the optimized structure is then performed through analytical longitudinal strength analysis and subsequently validated through global finite element analysis of the hull structure. The design performance at various operating conditions is then evaluated and compared to existing concepts.