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In the shipbuilding industry, the risk of brittle fractures is relatively high because some units operate in arctic or subarctic zones and use high thickness (up to 100 mm) steel plates in their structures. This risk is limited by employing certified materials with a specific impact strength, determined using the Charpy method (for a given design temperature) and by exercising control over the welding processes (technology qualification, production supervision, and non-destructive tests). However, for offshore constructions, such requirements may prove insufficient. For this reason, regulations employed in constructing offshore structures require conducting crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) tests for steel and welded joints with thicknesses exceeding 40 mm for high tensile strength steel and 50 mm for other steel types. Since classification codes do not accept the results of CTOD tests conducted on specimens of sub-sized dimensions, the problem of theoretically modelling the steel construction destruction process is of key importance, as laboratory tests for notched elements of considerable thickness (100 mm and higher) are costly and problems stemming from high loads and a wide range of recorded parameters are not uncommon. The aim of this research is to find a relationship between material thickness and CTOD value, by establishing and verifying a numerical model that allows recalculating a result obtained on a sub-size specimen to a full- size specimen for a ductile fracture mode. This work presents results and conclusions from numerical modelling and compares them with laboratory test results of the elastic-plastic properties of high thickness steel, typically used in offshore applications.

There are special cases in the marine industry, where additional material tests, such as the fracture toughness test, must be performed. Additional fracture toughness tests, such as CTOD (Crack Tip Opening Displacement), are typically performed on three-point bend specimens. The dimension that defines all the specimen dimensions is the thickness of the material to be tested. It is recommended by classification societies (e.g. DNVGL) to test specimens that are twice as high as the material thickness. The width determines the length and, therefore, the weight of the specimen which, for a 100 mm plate is over 140 kg. Current ASTM E1820, BS7448-1 and ISO 12135 testing standards also allow for proportions other than those recommended. This results in a much smaller test piece. Reducing the specimen size allows the testing machine to achieve lower forces than a specimen with a width to thickness ratio of two. This paper presents the effect of changing the specimen geometry on CTOD test results. Research was performed for specimens with a height to thickness ratio of one and two. Abaqus software was used for numerical calculations. The numerical results were, at selected points, verified experimentally.

The AISI 316L type steel belongs to the group of chromium-nickel stainless steels. They are determined according to European standards as X2CrNiMo17-12-2 and belong to the group of austenitic stainless steels. Steels of this group are used for elements working in seawater environments, for installations in the chemical, paper, and food, industries, for architectural elements, and many others. The chemical composition of corrosion-resistant austenitic steels provides them with an austenite structure that is stable in a wide temperature range, under appropriate conditions for heating, soaking, and cooling. 316L steel plate was subjected to a technological treatment of hot straightening with an oxy-acetylene torch, which is not commonly used for this type of steel, mainly due to the lack of objective assessment of whether the austenitizing temperature has been achieved and the stability of the heat treatment process is ensured. The single-phase structure of austenite with high corrosion resistance, without precipitation of carbides, steel is obtained by supersaturation in water from 1100°C. The purpose of the presented research was to determine the usefulness of the flame straightening process for a ship structure made of 316L steel.

The objective of this study is to analyse the behaviour of compressed stiffened plates of different slenderness using experimental and numerical methods. The presented results are part of a long-term project to investigate the ultimate strength of geometrically imperfect structures subjected to different degradation phenomena, including corrosion degradation and locked cracks. Several specimens were subjected to a uniaxial compressive force, and the most important quantities related to the structural behaviour were captured and analysed. A finite element model, accounting for material and geometrical nonlinearities and initial geometrical imperfections, was developed using the commercial software ANSYS. The residual welding-induced stresses were measured in the middle cross-section for two specimens. The initial imperfection was identified by employing a close-range photogrammetry approach. It was concluded that the numerical analyses, based on the finite element model, predict the ultimate strength of stiffened plates accurately, although some deviations were also observed. The detailed analysis with the indication of possible uncertainty is presented, and several conclusions are derived.

Development of renewable energy means that there is a growing demand for technology that helps to manage and consume it in an optimal way, using more energy when it is produced on sunny/ windy days, preferably at the place of production, and avoiding long-distance transmission. This opens the field for solutions based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, advanced demand management, and the concept of smart energy. The creation of a smart home energy management system (HEMS), which will help end users to manage the produced electricity, was the goal of the project entitled “e-balance – Balancing Energy Production and Consumption in Energy Efficient Smart Neighbourhoods”. Research with potential users carried out within the project showed that the existence of such systems in the home environment redefines the concept of electricity, which becomes tangible and always present in sight. Users also expected that the system would significantly reduce their electricity bills, an expectation which is not always confirmed by economic simulations. This means that the final solution will have to take account of other types of motivation and engagement, e.g., environmental ones. The paper presents conclusions from quantitative and qualitative research conducted within the “e-balance” project in Poland, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

In elements of steel structures working at low temperatures, there is a risk of appearance of brittle fracture. This risk is reduced through the use of certified materials having guaranteed strength at a given temperature. A method which is most frequently used to determine brittle fracture toughness is the Charpy impact test, preformed for a given temperature. For offshore structures intended to work in the arctic climate, the certifying institutions more and more often require Crack Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) tests instead of conventional impact tests, especially for steel and welded joints of more than 40 mm in thickness in the case of high-strength steel, and more than 50 mm for the remaining steels. The geometry of specimens and the test procedure are standardised; however, these standards provide some margin for specimen notch depth. The paper analyses the effect of notch depth difference, within the range permitted by the standards, on the recorded CTOD values of a given material. The analysis was performed via numerical modelling of destruction of specimens with different notch geometries and further verification of the obtained numerical results in laboratory tests. The calculations were carried out at the Academic Computer Centre in Gdansk.

In the shipbuilding industry, the risk of brittle fracture of the structure is limited by using certified materials with specified impact strength, determined by the Charpy method (for a given design temperature) and by supervising the welding processes (technology qualification, production supervision, non-destructive testing). For off-shore constructions, classical shipbuilding requirements may not be sufficient. Therefore, the regulations used in the construction of offshore structures require CTOD tests for steel and welded joints with a thickness greater than 40 mm in the case of high strength steel and more than 50 mm in the case of other steels. Classification societies do not accept CTOD test results of samples with a thickness less than the material tested. For this reason, the problem of theoretical modeling of steel structure destruction process is a key issue, because laboratory tests for elements with high thickness (in the order of 100 mm and more) with a notch are expensive (large samples, difficulties in notching), and often create implementation difficulties due to required high load and range of recorded parameters. The publication will show results and conclusions from numerical modeling of elastic properties for steel typical for offshore applications.

The development and growing availability of modern technologies, along with more and more severe environment protection standards which frequently take a form of legal regulations, are the reason why attempts are made to find a quiet and economical propulsion system not only for newly built watercraft units, but also for modernised ones. Correct selection of the propulsion and supply system for a given vessel affects significantly not only the energy efficiency of the propulsions system but also the environment - as this selection is crucial for the noise and exhaust emission levels. The paper presents results of experimental examination of ship power demand performed on a historic passenger ship of 25 m in length. Two variants, referred to as serial and parallel hybrid propulsion systems, were examined with respect to the maximum length of the single-day route covered by the ship. The recorded power demands and environmental impact were compared with those characteristic for the already installed conventional propulsion system. Taking into account a high safety level expected to be ensured on a passenger ship, the serial hybrid system was based on two electric motors working in parallel and supplied from two separate sets of batteries. This solution ensures higher reliability, along with relatively high energy efficiency. The results of the performed examination have revealed that the serial propulsion system is the least harmful to the environment, but its investment cost is the highest. In this context, the optimum solution for the ship owner seems to be a parallel hybrid system of diesel-electric type

Welding proces is basic joining technique in shipbuilding. Such method generated welding distortions which cause a lot of problems during the manufacturing process. In the literature it is proposed wide spectrum of suggestions for a correct estimation of welding deformation in particular angular deformation in the fillet welded T joint. In the work influence of oversizing of weld on angular distortions of joint is presented basing upon of the results of the laboratory measurements. Values determined on the basis of literature hypotheses are compared with the one obtained from the laboratory test.

Ship hull structure elements are usually joined by welding. Welding distortions may cause many problems during manufacturing process. In the literature a wide spectrum of suggestions has been proposed for correct estimation of welding deformation, particularly angular ones, in the fillet welded T-joints. In this work a verification of certain methods selected from the literature is presented basing upon the results of the laboratory measurements. To this end, values determined on the basis of engineering hypotheses have been compared with those obtained from the laboratory tests.