Optimal design of buckling resistance for a large deepwater functional tank (DFT)

Abstract

Buckling resistance is a major challenge in the design of a large deepwater functional tank (DFT), and internal stiffeners are commonly used to strengthen its shell. In the present paper, the influence of various stiffener parameters on the stability of the DFT was studied via the finite element method. The strengthening scheme of the DFT was optimised by the orthogonal test method, by which the influence of various parameters on the shell mass, internal volume and stability of the structure was evaluated. The optimal buckling resistance scheme can be obtained using the comprehensive balance method based on the orthogonal assessment results.