MODULE 2 : Structure Design of a Submarine

The loads on a submarine during its mission can be classified into the following:

1.  Loading Due to Diving Pressure:

Depth is one of the most important and deciding structural design criteria. The
pressure hull is the primary structural element of the submarine, and is designed to
be able to withstand the external hydrostatic pressure. It is designed for a particular
collapse depth, at which complete failure is expected within a very narrow range. The
collapse depth is actually calculated by multiplying the maximum operable depth
(MOD) or service depth with a factor of safety. The hydrostatic pressure at this depth
is considered as the design pressure for all the pressure hull calculations.

In usual design, safety factors of 1.5 are used, and submarines designed to such limits
should not go below the service depth.

2. Shock Loads:

A submarine is designed to withstand the loads generated by underwater detonations

(for example, mine explosions, pressures generated by bursting of large underwater
gas bubbles).

Apart from the direct shock load imparted from the explosion, each shockwave from
a single underwater explosion causes a wave of vibration to propagate along the
pressure hull. Vibratory loads not only reduce the fatigue life, but can cause
resonance resulting in major structural failure.

3. Other Loads:

Like a surface ship, a submarine in surfaced condition is subjected to longitudinal

bending loads, transverse shear forces on transverse structures, and torsional loads
caused due to wave action.
Local loads like longitudinal and torsional vibrations are caused by action of engine.
The structure is to be so designed that the level of vibrations are well within the
limits.

Strength of the Pressure Hull:

The cylindrical pressure hull in dived condition is subjected to

longitudinal compressive stress. This longitudinal stress is of half the magnitude of
the hoop stress or the circumferential stress.

The following expression for the longitudinal stress on the pressure hull is used for
obtaining the required thickness of the hull and the scantlings of the stiffeners
required to prevent failure of the pressure hull by buckling.

The longitudinal stress therefore is a function of the external pressure, the radius of
the pressure resistant hull, and the thickness of the hull plate.

The hydrostatic pressure at the collapse depth is considered as the external pressure
in this calculation.. What a designer calculates for a particular material, is the
minimum thickness that is required to keep the stress within limits.

The following observations can be made from the above relation:

  For a fixed MOD, a submarine with larger diameter requires thicker pressure
hull plate than a submarine with lesser diameter.
 The minimum thickness of the pressure hull required for a submarine can be
reduced by using material with higher yield strength. A lesser thickness
would be advantageous in reducing the weight, but comes at a cost of higher
price.

The pressure hull shell absorbs all the forces in the longitudinal direction without the
requirement of transverse ring stiffeners. However, the shell is stiffened by ring
stiffeners that can absorb the circumferential stresses originated due to buckling
loads. The ring stiffeners (usually T profiles) are welded to the pressure hull shell,
and the entire system acts as one unit.

FAILURE MODES OF PRESSURE HULL OF SUBMARINE

The pressure hull can fail in three modes, and the probability of occurrence of each
mode depends on the arrangement of the stiffeners, as discussed below:

Failure Mode 1: The first mode of failure occurs when the ring stiffeners have high
scantling and are placed very close to each other. This results in yielding of the shell
plate between two consecutive frames. The yielding occurs over the circumference of
the shell between two frames, and hence, is also called symmetrical buckling, as
shown in the image below.
Figure 1: Yielding of shell plate between two frames.
 

Failure Mode 2: This mode of failure happens when the scantling of the frames are
too low, and they are placed too distant from each other, that is, in case of larger
frame spacing. The shell plate, in this case buckles in the form of a wave throughout
the circumference between two consecutive frames. One buckle will be directed
inward, while the next one will be directed outward, as shown in the schematic figure
below.
Figure 2: Second Mode Buckling (transverse view).
 

Note that the number of waves created in the above case is five, hence it is called a
five-lobe buckling. The number of lobes created can vary from two to five, depending
on the spacing between the stiffeners and the stress. The following figure shows a
real image of shell buckling between frames.
Figure 3: Shell buckling between frames.
 

Failure Mode 3: The first and second modes of failure were local failures, and any
such occurrence would not post immediate threat to the integrity of the complete
structure of the pressure hull. But failure in mode three involves buckling of the
pressure hull over its entire length, and this causes the transverse rings to bend out
of axis, as shown in the image below. The effect would extend to the length of the
pressure hull between two heavy transverse structures like bulkheads or heavy web
frames. This is also called total collapse of pressure hull. This is caused due to
inadequate strength of the material, or when the submarine dives to depths more
than collapse depth.
Figure 4: Total collapse of pressure hull.
 

Other than the above three modes of failure, some other failure modes for a pressure
hull are as discussed below:

 General instability of the pressure hull shell, circular frames, bulkheads and
decks caused by improper welding or improper scantling calculations may
lead to local failures or failures extending to a series of frames.
 Snap-through buckling may occur at the forward elliptical bulkhead (dome) or
the aft conical bulkhead as these shapes are subjected to varying
compressive loads.
 Low cycle stresses on the pressure hull structure may lead to development of
cracks followed by crack propagation.
 Failures due to stress concentration at regions of discontinuity in shape, for
example: the joint between the cylindrical section of the pressure hull with
the aft conical and forward elliptical ends is subject to high stresses.

The following figure summarises the nature of failures that a pressure hull is prone
to, and their effects on the geometry of the structure.
 Fi
gure 5: Forms of failure of a submarine pressure hull.
 

1. It has been observed that external stiffeners of the same scantling as that
of internal stiffeners, provide 5 percent more strength than the latter.
2. Since external stiffening occupies the space between the pressure hull and
outer hull, a lot of usable space can be obtained within the pressure hull.
 F
igure 6: Structural components of a submarine (transverse view)
 

Pressure Hull Penetrations:

The pressure hull is a pressure tight enclosed structure with atmospheric pressure
within its enclosed volume. Even then, it is required to provide means to pass from
inside to outside in both, surfaced and submerged conditions. For this purpose,
circular hatches (conning tower at the centre, one hatch at forward and aft, each) are
provided for access of personnel. Penetrations are provided for access of pipelines
and cables that connect equipment which are housed outside the pressure hull but
are actuated from inside.

The forward elliptical dome bulkhead also has a number of penetrations, the primary
ones being for the passage of torpedo tubes, and the secondary ones providing access
to pipelines for the weapon compensating tanks. Penetrations on a forward bulkhead
of a submarine is shown in the figure below.
Figure 7: Pressure hull penetrations on the forward elliptical bulkhead of a
submarine.
 

These are very critical structures because they are unavoidable discontinuities on the
pressure hull, and the edges of the penetrations (whether circular or elliptical)
become points of high stress concentrations. Hence, welding processes of pressure
hull penetrations is a highly scrutinised process and usually more than one type of
non-destructive testing (NDT) is conducted on the welds of pressure hull
penetrations.

Class of Structures on a Submarine:

Submarine structures are broadly categorised into three types depending on the
effect their failure would have on the submarine.

Class I Structures: These are the structures which if damaged, would render the
submarine completely incapable of carrying out any operation or remain afloat, and
would also pose threat to the safety of the personnel. The complete primary structure
of the pressure hull (the shell and the stiffeners) is Class I structure. Strictest NDT
requirements are followed for certification of the quality of these structures. The
pressure hull is also pre-tested to its design pressure by creating vacuum inside it,
before other structural outfits are carried out on it.

Class II Structures: These structures if damaged or undergo complete failure

would only hinder a part of the submarine’s capability of carrying out its mission.
Though damage to Class II structures does not render the submarine inactive, it
would affect a system or a part of a system that carries out a vital function in the
submarine. Such damages are often repairable on board or by dry-docking the
submarine. Class II structures also dictated by stringent NDT standards. Examples of
these are ballast tanks, trim tanks, regulating and compensating tanks, pressure hull
penetrations.

Class III Structures: Damage to Class III structures would pose no threat ot have
negligible effect on the sea worthiness of the submarine. Such damages can be
repaired while the submarine is in operation. Example of Class III structures are
knee brackets, equipment supports, etc.

To conclude, the design and analysis of submarine structures is a process that is way
more complex than that of ship structures due to the improbabilities of shock loads
coming into effect. Every submarine design company conducts extensive finite
element analyses for a combination of load cases that the structure could be subject
to. What leaves scope of research in this field is, submarines are not tested projects
like many surface ships. Each design is new depending on the navy and other inter-
related requirements of the project, and this leaves the designers with a lot of scope
to improve on the next

Explain major structural members of submarine structure with neat

sketches

1) Outer Hull Plating

2) Outer Hull Frame
3) Box shaped keel
4) Securing frames
5) Knee plate
6) Stringer Outer Hull Plating
7) Outer Hull Frame
8) Box shaped keel
9) Securing frames
10)Knee plate
11) Stringer