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Description
The DigiFloDock project is aimed to improve the automation, efficiency and safety of the floating docking operations by developing a digital twin solution, which can predict, identify and prevent dangerous (see Project Proposal Annex 1) situations during an autonomous docking process.
The solution will combine a developed numerical program with measurement data acquired from sensors. The numerical program includes both stability analysis and strength calculation, which interact with each other and can be performed simultaneously. The deliverables include simulation and data acquisition software, model tests results and data acquired on a real floating dock.
The final result of the project is the floating dock digital twin.
The digital floating dock twin is intended to facilitate any ship repair yard to use a floating dock and make it more safe. It can also be utilized by design offices to improve floating docks. Eventually the floating dock digital twin is to prevent accidents and also to protect environment.
University of Stavanger will be responsible for numerical simulation procedures. They bring their knowledge and experience in kinematics and dynamics of floating docks and vessels. They will also share their expertise in strength and stability calculations.
Myklebust Verft AS will share their floating dock for taking measurements during routine operations. They will assure proper sensor installation. Due to their involvement the results of numerical simulations will be verified against data acquired during measurements taken on a real floating dock.
CoreMarine AS will share their knowledge about data acquisition in industrial environment and they will apply their data tracker to collect data about floating dock position during field tests.
Summary of project results
This project targets the development of an autonomous floating dock digital twin. Our was to develop a well-validated numerical program (digital twin) to simulate the autonomous floating dock to improve the safety of the docking operations. The innovation in our approach was to investigate not only stability problems but to see a whole process in the time domain including the structural strength calculations and dock/vessel dynamic interactions in addition. The digital twin will be validated with field measurements taken on a real floating dock during its routine operations. To achieve our goals, we brought together in our consortium four partners which have the necessary complementary expertise in the maritime industry both in research and applications.
The DigiFloDock project was started because we have noticed a gap between current way the floating docks are operated and the available technology, that could make the operations more effective, safer and more reliable.
During the project we successfully implemented mathematical model which describes the floating dock’s vessel interactions. This model was tested and verified against results of both model basin tests and real scale field tests.
The installation of FBG strain sensors inside the real scale floating dock proved that we can monitor the stress in the dock’s structure in real time.
We also developed an automatic ballast control system, however due to budget limitations it was implemented only in 1:70 scale model of the dock and tested in the model basin.
During the real scale field tests we confirmed that manual operation of the ballast system by the Dock Master may result in suboptimal ballast distribution and leads to unnecessary stress in the dock’s structure. Avoiding excessive stress minimizes the fatigue effect and extends life of a floating dock. This way we showed to the dock owner that the quality of the dock operation can be measured with simple and easy to interpret indicator - the stress.
Verified simulation software (digital twin) and experimentally tested methods of monitoring the dock’s status lay a solid foundation to implement optimized automatic control of a real scale floating dock. However we cannot say yet that we developed mature technology that one may apply in an industrial environment.
In the long time perspective we expect that our work will lead to a next project that will result in an implementation of an optimized automatic ballast control system in a real scale dock. The floating docks are valuable assets of shipyards and making their lives longer and operation more efficient should be beneficial to the owners.
The project was successfully completed and the digital twin of a floating dock is accomplished. All the work packages of the project were finished and the objectives were achieved. The digital twin was verified against both real scale field test and scaled model tests in a model basin. Results were published in recognized scientific magazines and presented during international conferences worldwide. A young researcher Jianan Zhang completed her PhD thesis during the project and defended it in May 2024 at UiS. Co-operation between Partners in the project consortium led to better mutual understanding and broadened our knowledge.
During the real scale field tests we confirmed that manual operation of the ballast system by the Dock Master may result in suboptimal ballast distribution and leads to unnecessary stress in the dock’s structure.
In the future we plan to continue our work and apply for a next project that will result in the implementation of the optimized automatic ballast control system in a real scale dock.
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian side contributed mainly with the concept of the mathematical model (UiS) and gave us access to the real scale floating dock (Myklebust Verft AS). During the implementation of mathematical model UiS and GUT worked together. UiS and GUT also worked together during the verification of the implemented algorithms. Interpretation of the field tests’ results and solving issues about discrepancies between the calculations and tests improved our knowledge and led to better mutual understanding.The main bilateral level result is the verified digital twin of the floating dock. Apart from the scope of the project we also found another subject of common interests – wind energy.In the future we plan Polish – Norwegian co-operation both with the academic Partner and industrial Partners. Since we are convinced about possible application of automatic ballast control on a real scale dock, we will search for funding to achieve this.