Finite element analysis of a glass structure in a superyacht superstructure

Abstract

Recent tendencies in superyacht designs have been accompanied by the enlargement of the dimensions of yacht windows. Yacht designers are motivated by the requests of yacht owners to increase the transparency of their vessels to offer panoramic views of the surroundings while being shielded from the elements. Current standards for yacht windows consider window panes to be mechanically independent of the adjacent ship structure, limiting the size of uninterrupted glazed areas. In this study, a section of the top deck of a yacht fully enclosed by glass is investigated, with glass panels spanning from deck level to the top of the yacht. The edges of the glass panels are connected to transverse portal frames. The behaviour of the structure was assessed in response to loads set forth by classification societies for the design of yacht structures. These loads correspond to specific wave conditions a yacht is expected to sail in and include external pressures, inertial loads and gravity. A finite element model was created through which the mechanical behaviour of the structure was calculated. A parametric study is performed in which the behaviour of simplified beam-panel connections and different glass panel thicknesses are assessed. The use of a surface-to-surface contact function in Abaqus, which approximates the behaviour of adhesive bonding between the beams and the panels in the glass structure, is also demonstrated.