3. Аbs и его проект безопасного корпуса “safehull” Background

The ABS SafeHull™ System is a revolutionary new approach to the design and evaluation of ship structures based on thorough but easy to apply engineering analysis techniques. Its application leads to improved reliability and enhanced safety of ship structures. Worldwide recognition of SafeHull's capabilities in this regard, was acknowledged by receipt of the 1994 Seatrade Award for "Technical Improvement Leading to the Reduction of Risk to Human Life at Sea." The SafeHull System is the result of the single largest research and development project ever undertaken indepen­dent by the American

Bureau of Shipping (ABS). This booklet provides a summary of the background of the SafeHull development project and the content of the system.

Abs 2000

In 1990 ABS undertook a major strategic plan to prepare itself for the next century and better serve its customers. Called ABS 2000, it is both a restructuring of internal resources, as well as a look into what ABS does and the way it is done. Most impor­tantly, it is a reinforcement of ABS' purpose, principles, values and dedication to providing a balance of interests leading to the highest, level of safety, practical for the circumstances.

Of the specific objectives of ABS 2000, a particular element is the enhance­ment of the role of technology, as well as the focus and dissemination of this technology to industry. The ABS Technology Group was given the task of pursuing this objective and started a dedicated technology initiative designated the RULES 2000 project.

Rules 2000

RULES 2000 is a multi-phase project under which ABS is pursuing the objective of improving ship safety, through the use of advanced technology. Many new develop­ments are envisioned as growing out of the RULES 2000 initiative during the 1990s. ABS is addressing not only methods to evaluate ships for classification purposes, but also new tools that can be provided to the industry to enhance the capabilities of ship designers and builders in producing safer, more robust ships.

The initial emphasis of RULES 2000 has been on improving technologies related to ship structures. The first development introduced to the industry in late 1991 was the Dynamic Loading Approach (DLA). DLA was well received by the industry and represents an important new approach, through a blending of established techniques with novel new ideas, to allow a thorough evaluation of ship structures. DLA was first introduced for tankers and has since been extended to bulk carrier and container ship structures.

The next step in the RULES 2000 initiative was to apply the main points of DLA to a streamlined, easy to use day-to-day tool. This effort culminated in the introduction of the SafeHull System for Tanker New Construction in September 1993. Where as DLA is a methodology for the assessment of ship structures after the design is devel­oped, SafeHull can also be used directly in the process of structural design. In this sense, SafeHull is a departure from past techniques inthat it is a useful tool that can be used by the industry, from the first day of the development of a new design. Additionally, SafeHull represents a com­plete restatement of the traditional prescrip­tive ABS Rules for Steel Vessels. The new loads, strength and approach embodied in SafeHull, are being adopted into the Rules replacing the traditional criteria. Therefore, the intent is that SafeHull will in fact become the new Rule requirement for ship structures, and the most technically com­prehensive first principles-based approach to structural requirements.

ABS has made a long term commitment to extend SafeHull from the initial version for tankers and update the strength crite­ria in the coming years for all other major ocean going ships. In June 1994 SafeHull was extended to the design and evalua­tion of new bulk carriers. Applications to container ships, liquefied gas carriers and other major ship types are scheduled to follow. In January and June 1994 respec­tive, SafeHull was extended to the eval­uation of existing tankers and bulk carri­ers through the SafeHull Condition Assessment Services.

Looking into the more distant future, ABS sees the next major innovation in the design and evaluation of ship structures as that embodied in reliability based methods. While the practical use and acceptance of this approach by the industry may be a con­siderable time in the future, ABS has already laid the groundwork in working towards offering this capability to industry as a follow-up to SafeHull. Many aspects of SafeHull are rooted in probabilistic methods that will allow ABS to progress in this field.