A novel numerical model approach for examining ship berthing impact on floating piers

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the impact of ship berthing upon floating piers using highly advanced numerical software Abaqus. The ship and floating piers were modeled as solid bodies. For the first time, the effect of soil on the total energy absorption of the system was considered using both elastic and elastic-perfectly plastic soil models. First the results for the elastic soil model were compared to and verified by the existing literature using a spring soil model.Then a continuum soil model was utilized instead of a spring soil model, with the results showing 27% higher energy absorption compared to the spring model. The investigation also considered a model with soil as an elastic-perfectly plastic material, being more aligned with the soil material’s real behavior. With this model the results produced 1% more energy absorption as the soil did not reach plastic failure.