Residual strength prediction and structural response of a multi-chamber cabin to a fire

Abstract

In this study, the fire safety of a ship structure is evaluated using a fire dynamics algorithm for large eddy simulations and a structural-thermal coupling method. Taking a two-story cabin as an example, a typical I-channel is adopted and the fire-thermal-structure coupling calculation of the cabin is realised through a thermal-mechanical coupling data interface. On this basis, the failure characteristics, stress distribution, and deformation modes of the cabin under different heat release rate (0–8 MW) and fire locations (side and middle chambers) are studied. The results show that an increase in the heat release rate in the side chamber causes the failure path of the cabin to gradually expand from the fire-source side to the sagging plane. This differs from the failure mode of the cabin in the sagging plane at ambient temperature. When a high-power fire occurs in the middle chamber of the cabin, its spatial layout significantly influences the damage location. Moreover, the residual strength of the cabin at different fire positions in a heat release rate range of 0–8 MW is predicted.