Important point :

Part 1 : General regulation

Chapter 1 : General regulations

• (Rule No. 2.2.2) Main class notation and mandatory class notation stipulates
requirements for
o Availability of main functions and the safety of installations supporting
the main functions
o Structural strength and integrity of essential parts of the UWT system’s
pressure hull, structure and its appendages
o The safety of machinery, systems and equipment supporting non-main
functions that constitute possible hazards to personnel and the UWT
system

Chapter 2 : Class notations

• Section 3 UWT type notations

o SIM : Diving simulator
o DPC : Diver Pressure Chamber
o Submersible : Non-autonomous, autonomous, ambient
o ROV : Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle
o AUV : Autonomous Operated Underwater Vehicle
o UWM : Underwater Working Machine
• Section 4 service area

Part 2 : Material and weldings

Chapter 5 : Material and welding for UWT systems

• Section 5 Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), type of material :

o Laminated resins, e.g. cold-setting or hot-setting unsaturated polyester
(UP) resins or cold setting epoxy (EP) resins
o Reinforcing materials, e.g. fibre reinforcements made of glass or carbon
 o Prepregs as reinforcing materials, which are preimpregnated with a
thermosetting resin and which can be processed without any further
addition of resin or hardener
o Core materials, e.g. rigid foams with adequate compressive strength
o Adhesives, e.g. cold- or hot-setting thermosetting adhesives or hot-melt
adhesives
o Flame retardant laminates produced by additives to the resin system,
whereby the viscosity of the resin or the mechanical properties of the
manufactured laminates are not been changed essentially
o Other materials may be approved in agreement with the Society

Part 3 : Pressure hull and structures

Chapter 1 : General

• Section 2 Structure design principles, the general requirements for the basic
elements of the structure of UWT systems
o Structural members (platings, stiffeners, girders, mainframes, end
attachments)
o Effective breadth of plating
o Proof of buckling strength
o Structural details
o Evaluation of notch stress
• Section 3 Interior facilities and equipment, arrangements of spaces aspect
o Excellent view from the control stand to the outside to manoeuvre the
submersible in a safe manner on the surface and submerged
o Separation of control stand and machinery, respectively main battery
spaces as far as possible
o Adequate space for the intended number of persons and enough working
space for scientists on board
o Means for safe embarkation and disembarkation
o If required, arrangements for transport and exposure of divers by a lock-
out
o As far as possible, the space occupied by the crew shall be separated from
that in which machinery and
o Equipment is installed and shall be acoustically and thermally insulated
• Section 4 environment conditions
o Seawater condition : Temperature -20 to +320 C
Salt content 3,5%
Density 1028 kg/m3
Diving depth conversion 0,101 bar/m
o Seaway condition : Wave height 2m
 Allowance of accelerations 2g down, 1g up, and
1g for vertical, longitudinal and transverse (g = 9,81
m/s2)
o External climate : Temperature -100 to +550 C
Humidity 100%
o Internal climate : Air temperature 00 to +550 C
Humidity 100% in lower temperature
Condensation occur
In special protected control room, humidity 80%,
and temperature +450 C
Air pressure inside pressure hull 0,7 to 1,3 bar
o Inclined positions : Inclinations 22,50 any direction
Transient inclination up to 450

Chapter 2 : Design loads

• Section 1 General
o Load and test plan

o Load case
Load case II
Load case I (loads at Load case III
(operational load) collapse diving (Test loads)
depth)
- Nominal diving pressure - Collapse diving - Test diving
- Internal pressure pressure CDP pressure TDP
- Flow resistance - For other - Loads from
- Wash of the sea pressurized strength tightness
- Ice accretion components of and functional tests
- Loads at emerging manned UWT - Pressure loads on
- Accelerations from system the different
vehicle movements and - For other elements
seaway pressurized - Additional loads
- Accelerations from components of from load case
collision unmanned UWT
- Loads from towing system
- Loads from propeller - Other loads
- Loads by rudders, fin,
and drives
 - Loads on tanks without
additional internal
pressure
- Additional local loads
inducted lifting points and
support
- Loads on subdivisions of
the pressure hull
- Loads on internal decks

• Section 2 External loads

o Safety factors
- Safety factors for TDP and CDP related to NDP of manned
UWT systems

- Safety factors for TDP and CDP related to NDP of

unmanned UWT systems

• Section 3 Internal loads

o Bulkheads and decks under external pressure

o Non-watertight subdivisions

o Single point internal load

o Loads on tanks not subjected to additional internal pressure

 Chapter 3 : pressure hull

• Section 3 Design requirements

o Design criteria
▪ Primary membrane stresses and bending stresses at nominal and test
diving pressures shall not exceed the permissible values stated in
▪ Components critical to stability shall be designed to withstand
buckling, bulging and lateral buckling at collapse diving pressure
CDP in conformity with the safety factors stated in
▪ Failure critical to stability and plastic failure shall be analysed. The
reduction of the modulus of elasticity between the limit of
proportionality and the defined yield point or the 0.2% plastic strain
limit, respectively, shall be considered
▪ External load transfer into the pressure hull shall be considered.
Structural loads due to weight of the pressure vessel or any fastened
components shall not be able to give rise to any excessive stress
increases in the pressure hull's surfaces
▪ The ratio of collapse diving pressure/nominal diving pressure as
indicated by the safety factor S2
o Permissible stress
▪ For the nominal diving pressure and operational loads

▪ For the test diving pressure

▪ For the collapse diving pressure

Principle Design
— structural members (platings, stiffeners, girders, mainframes, end attachments)
— effective breadth of plating
— proof of buckling strength
— structural details
— evaluation of notch stress,

Salt impregnated air ranging in temperature from –10°C to +55°C at an relative atmospheric humidity
of 100% is assumed for external climate.