On the dynamic response of ship plating under lateral impact

A numerical model describing the response of thin plates subjected to dynamic loading is presented. Details concerning the theoretical basis of the model are given and comparisons with test results on models of ships plating and other methods are conducted. The struck plate is modelled as an elastic-viscoplastic non-hardening continuum and the equations of motion are solved using a finite-difference based iterative method (real-time Dynamic Relaxation). A series of experimental tests is modelled numerically and results are compared with those obtained from other theoretical methods. It is seen that reasonably good results are obtained in the prediction of the permanent deflections.