Energy absorption characteristics of ship side-shell structures subjected to collision load conditions

Journal article, 2026

The crashworthiness of ship side-shell structures is critical for ensuring passive safety during collisions. This study benchmarks six structures under displacement-controlled indenter impact to assess their energy absorption capacities. Three well-studied structures are investigated: the reference, X-core, and Y-core, while three new types include a concrete-filled and two three-barrier designs. Simulations with Abaqus/Explicit were conducted to analyze penetration forces, energy absorption, and failure modes based on indenter displacement and penetration depth. Results indicate the reference structure is less effective for protecting sensitive compartments in SMR ships. The three-barrier designs, aligned with strength-based principles, showed advanced energy absorption at moderate displacements. The concrete-filled structure excelled at collisions in the early stages. The findings highlight that concrete-filled and three-barrier structures can enhance crashworthiness despite challenges such as brittleness and increased structural weight. Reaching a balance among energy absorption, penetration depth, and weight is important for safe ship-side shell design.