Datawave Marine Solutions

Project Habbakuk: A Ship from Ice!

Pykrete, the revolutionary composite made with ice, part of a plan to build the largest aircraft carrier ever. This wasn’t as crazy as it sounds. What happened and what can we learn from this?

Strong as Ice: Icebreaker Structure

Hull Structure, Shell and Supporting Structure, Structural

Someone once told me that icebreaking felt like crashing your car straight into a brick wall . . . and then repeating the process every minute of the day. How do we create ship hulls so strong that we crash straight through the brick wall?

Ramming the Ice: Icebreaker Propulsion

Energy Generation, Fluids, Hull Structure, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Propulsion Units, Propulsors, Structural, Transmission and Propulsor Systems

This beast bares TWO nuclear reactors, with over 60 MW of propulsive power driving through anything in its path! Discover why we need so much power for an icebreaker.

Breaking the Ice: Icebreakers

Hull Structure, Propulsion, Propulsion Units, Propulsors, Structural

How do icebreakers crack through the ice and come out undamaged? We still use the same techniques from over 50 years ago. Why do they work so well?

Commercial Ship Safety

Auxiliary Systems, Hull Structure, Quality Assurance

Commercial ships are a world apart from recreational yachts. They contend with tougher requirements, and they need far more safety features. But what are those differences? How is the commercial ship safer?

Strength and Stiffness: Design of Structural Foundations

Hull Decks, Hull Structural Bulkheads, Hull Structure, Masts, Kingposts, Service Platforms, Miscellaneous, Shell and Supporting Structure, Special Purpose Structure

No foundation is perfect. Each design reveals new insight and opportunities for further improvement. The art of foundation design finds an efficient arrangement to redistribute concentrated loads into the general ship structure. I review basic strategies for foundation design.

5 Steps to (NOT) Build a Boat

Engineering Business, Hull Structure, Integration / Engineering, Production Engineering, Project Management, Shipyard And Support Services

When building a yacht, pick a design you finish. Here are several steps that help before embarking on any boat construction project.

Composite Materials

Engineering Business, Hull Structure, Materials, Special Purpose Structure, Structural

Don’t let composites disappoint you. If you understand their practical limits, composites far exceed the capabilities of steel.

Six Ways to Break the Ship

Elastic Static Loading, Fatigue, FEA / Numerical Methods, Hull Decks, Hull Structural Bulkheads, Hull Structure, Masts, Kingposts, Service Platforms, Shell and Supporting Structure, Special Methods, Special Purpose Structure, Structural

Why are ship structures so labor intensive to design? Engineers need to anticipate multiple methods of failure, which makes a lot of work. The trick of efficient structural analysis focuses on recognizing which methods of failure are likely in each scenario. This article reveals six major methods of structural failure, with examples of common applications. Because it will be the failure mode you didn’t consider that ultimately leads to catastrophe.

Improve Engineering Value

3D Modeling, Arrangements, Drafting, Engineering Business, Fatigue, FEA / Numerical Methods, Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Fluids Special Methods, Hull Structure, Hydrostatics, Structural

We all want to feel good about paying for engineering analysis. Sometimes the best answer drives us to maximize value, rather than minimize cost. In those cases, you do better to go beyond basic safety and search for enhancements. Today we discuss four engineering tasks where you can maximize your value. Extract every last drop of knowledge from your engineering project.

Meet Intercon Articulated Tug Barge Connector

Auxiliary Systems, Hull Structure, Mechanical Handling Systems, Shell and Supporting Structure, Special Purpose Structure

Meet the Intercon AT/B connector system. A beautiful piece of engineering used to connect tugs and barges for inland and coastal trade.

Video: Selecting the Right Hullform

Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Hull Structure, Hydrostatics, Integration / Engineering, Production Engineering

Monohull, catamaran, trimaran . . . so many choices. Which hullform to pick? This article provides a rational and design map for selecting hullforms applicable to any type of mission.