Hydroelastic interaction in panel-water impacts of high-speed craft

The paper considers the hydroelastic interaction involved in panel-water impacts for high-speed craft. Hydroelastic panel-water impacts are simulated by using the finite element code LS-DYNA and a simplified in-house developed method. The mechanisms involved are studied through a systematic series of simulations comprising different impact velocities, deadrise angles, boundary conditions, membrane effects, and panel properties. The terms inertial hydroelastic effects and kinematic hydroelastic effects are introduced to categorize the different mechanisms involved in the hydroelastic problem. It is shown that hydroelastic effects can both increase and reduce the panel responses depending on the impact envelope considered, and it is made clear that the impact envelope has to be carefully considered when establishing the significance of hydroelasticity in a hull-water impact problem. Membrane effects are shown to have large influences on the hydroelastic effects even for moderate panel deflections. The results generated are further used to evaluate and discuss hydroelastic criterion and methods for hydroelastic characterization. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.