Exploring smart methodologies for critical flooding scenarios detection in the damage stability assessment of passenger ships

A more contemporary damaged stability assessment of a passenger ship can be addressed with a non-zonal approach, assessing multiple damage types and environmental conditions and employing dynamic analysis for ship survivability. This direct method necessitates the generation and simulation of many damage scenarios. However, the probabilistic models for damage characteristics describe many damages that are not critical for ship survivability. To restrict the number of damage scenarios, hence calculation time, designers currently apply empirical rules, such as critical damages are only above two compartments, considering that damage stability regulations currently in force to ensure survivability levels beyond this damage extent. However, a rigorous approach is lacking. The present work explores the use of more scientific methods as damage filters. The first method uses preliminary static calculations. The second uses the energy absorbed by the ship during an impact, and the third is suitable for a purely dynamic approach. The paper critically compares the three methodologies on two sample passenger ships for collision damages, showing their respective advantages and disadvantages.