SBIR-STTR Award

The objectives of Phase I are to develop realistic, extreme primary hull girder loads necessary to facilitate the application of reliability-based methods for investigating the possibility of weight savings for aircraft carrier. In this study, an empirical-analytical methodology will be developed based on sea trials, spectral analysis and extreme value analysis that uses empirical data, operation profiles and motion analysis. The specific tasks needed to achieve these objectives of the proposed effort can be enumerated as follows: 1. Definition of reliability-based design and its needs in terms of load definition; 2. Assessment of primary loads; 3. Probabilistic characteristics of primary loads; 4. Extreme value analysis to determine

The objectives of Phase II are to develop guidelines for the reliability-based, weight-optimized design of primary structural components of aircraft carriers, such as the CVN(X), subjected to vertical and lateral wave loads. The guidelines will provide realistic, extreme primary hull girder load estimates necessary to facilitate the application of reliability-based methods for investigating the possibility of weight savings for aircraft carrier. An empirical-analytical methodology will be developed based on sea trials, time-domain histories and extreme value analysis that uses empirical data, operation profiles and motion analysis. Commercial software will be identified and demonstrated for this purpose. The specific tasks needed to achieve these objectives of the proposed effort can be enumerated as follows:1.Assessment of primary loads that include vertical and lateral wave loads with their dynamic effects and dependancy;2.Assessment of extreme lifetime loads in a design life to determine their probabilistic characteristics for design purposes;3.Assessment of load combinations for wave, dynamic, vertical and lateral effects;4.Evaluation of ultimate strength for primary structural members, and fatigue strength;5.Development of weight-optimization procedure;6.Demonstration of the methods and procedures; and7.Identification and demonstration of software needed to support such designs