Experimental and numerical study of the slamming load on the bow of a chemical tanker in irregular waves

This paper presents calculations of ship motions, slamming occurrence probability and slamming loads on the bow of a ship hull in irregular waves. The results are compared with the experimental data from model tests of a 170 m chemical tanker with Fn=0 in head seas. Ship motions are calculated by using a partially nonlinear time domain code based on strip theory. The probabilities of slamming occurrence at the bow are studied numerically and statistically, and compared with the experimental data. The experimental data are analysed statistically, to determine the relationships between the measured pressure and the entry velocity and with wave parameters. Two estimated significant slamming events are simulated by using the Arbitrary-Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) algorithm, based on the calculated relative entry velocities in the numerical procedure.