Journal Published Online: 26 October 2017
Volume 6, Issue 1

Field Testing and Numerical Modeling of Inflatable Structure for Underwater Applications

CODEN: ACEM59

Abstract

As humans explore greater depths of the earth’s oceans, there is a growing need for the installation of subsea structures. Deployable structures can provide a lightweight, compact solution to form large-span structures underwater. Upon inflation, these structures, attached by sensors, can morph into final shapes that are a hundred times larger than their original volume, which extends the former detection range and also provides long-term observation capabilities. This research takes the inflatable structure fundamental element, the inflated tube, and studies its behavior under bending load conditions. Initial scale models are built for the study of the mechanics of inflatable tubes. Numerical and experimental approaches are both developed to investigate the inflatable tubular behavior under concerted loading conditions. The numerical model is based on finite element theory and considers fluid-structure interaction effects under different conditions. The numerical results were compared with the experimental data, where the fractional error between those was found to be less than 15 %. This shows that the methods used in this research lay the foundation for underwater inflatable structure design and analysis.

Author Information

Li, Yanjun
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL
Su, Tsung-chow
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
Ouyang, Bing
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL
Dalgleish, Fraser
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL
Dalgleish, Anni
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL
Pages: 9
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: ACEM20160072
ISSN: 2379-1357
DOI: 10.1520/ACEM20160072