Complex structure experimental analysis has always been a huge challenge for researchers. Conventional experimental methods (e.g., strain gauges) give only limited data sets regarding measurement on critical areas with high geometrical discontinuities. A 3D Digital Image Correlation method is an optical method that overcomes the limitations of conventional methods and enables full-field displacement and strain measurement of geometrically complex structures. System Aramis, based on Digital Image Correlation method, is used for experimental analysis and numerical model verification in this paper. Investigated complex structure is sphere/cylinder junction on globe valve housing subjected to axial loading. The highest experimentally measured von Mises strain values around 0.15% are recorded on cylinder/sphere intersection. Von Mises strain values on cylindrical and spherical part are several times smaller than on intersection itself. It is important to emphasize that, to the authors' best knowledge, this is the first paper showing experimental results of 3D full and strain field of geometrically complex structure (sphere/cylinder intersection) on the intersection itself on pressure equipment. It is proven that 3D Digital Image Correlation method is fast and versatile method for recording strain during loading of complex structures.

After introducing an energy efficiency design index (EEDI) in 2011, International Maritime Organization (IMO) pursued their short- and long-term goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships by presenting, among others, an energy efficiency existing ship index (EEXI). Contrary to EEDI which is used for new ships solely, EEXI is addressing an energy efficiency of already built ships and is set to become formally applicable starting from 2023. Existing designs cannot be essentially and rapidly changed to comply the criterion. The only main particular from the preliminary design phase that can be meaningly optimized “post festum” is a required engine power, and thus, the speed. Therefore, the paper explores the effect of EEXI policy on a fleet of 153 bulk carriers built between 2000 and 2020 in order to address their near future and prompt design changes, specifically considering the power reduction. For that purpose, an attained and a required EEXI are calculated for each ship. The results showed that only 15% of the ships built in 2000-2012 satisfied 2013-2014 IMO criterion. This impacted the design of ships built in 2013-2022, as they complied the same criterion by 88% of share. However, no ship from the whole database satisfied the present day EEDI requirement and only one ship fulfilled the contemporary EEXI requirement meaning that the current designs are not able to match the emerging criteria to a large extent. In order to meet an energy efficiency criterion, a main engine power reduction and speed are predicted assuming that the engine power and shaft limiter are installed. The investigation showed that MCR reduction of the total fleet taken into account had to be reduced by 50% and speed by 15% on average in order for ships to meet current requirements. Moreover, a graphic method is developed for the estimation of EEXI by using only deadweight (DWT) and maximum continuous rating (MCR). The proposed simplified method based on average values could be used on existing bulk carriers with an aim to satisfy novel regulation with application of “easy to use” approach. Additionally, authors discussed other options to reliably evaluate an energy efficiency of existing ships.

No abstract

Although the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced the energy efficiency requirements for ships more than a decade ago, to date, inland navigation has not been affected by corresponding regulations at all. Therefore, inland waterway vessels are left with no mandatory requirements that could push their technology into more energy efficient design. Fortunately, there are certain pioneering attempts to define energy efficiency criteria for inland vessels. This paper tries to gather and provide a review of such methods. Moreover, a typical Danube cargo inland vessel’s data are used to evaluate their current energy efficiency levels with respect to provisional criteria. Consequently, two methods are found and used here. They are both based on IMO’s energy efficiency concept but modified for the inland waterway vessels. The methods delivered a significant difference in applicability and were difficult to compare. Moreover, shallow and deep-water effects are explored in the same regard but provided unsound conclusions. The final results displayed discrepancies in energy efficiency levels for the same vessels and so the methodology should be improved and harmonised, if it is to be introduced as mandatory for inland waterway vessels. The analysis provided a glimpse into the current condition of the traditional design of the Danube inland fleet, with respect to the emerging energy efficiency policies.

Development of stress concentration in the corner zone of rectangular plate opening is a well-known fact. It is usually literally taken that the largest stress concentration factor (SCF) occurs exactly in the corner (at angle coordinate of 45 degrees in case of square opening). More rigorous analyses, however, reveal that this is not perfectly true. Although maximum stress never really "leaves the corner", for some hot-spot analyses, more scrupulous investigation of this phenomenon has significance. In this paper, results of some analytical, numerical and experimental investigations of this topic, for plate in tension, are presented and compared.