Dynamic Behaviour of Ship Structures Using the Finite Element Method with Two-Dimensional Modeling

This paper presents a procedure to model ships in two-dimensions using the Finite Element Method, to be applied at the initial stage of the design process. The ship vibration is represented on its significant frequency range and makes possible the calculation of natural frequencies, modes of vibration and structural response with minimum modelling effort and computer time. The obtained model permits verification if the vibration level is excessive and makes possible the study of solutions and alternatives to ship design. A product carrier ship is modelled by this technique and a comparison between the results obtained with the two-dimensional model and a three-dimensional model is presented.