Final Project
The purpose of this project is to work on improving the adequacy of the substructure of a barge. The tool used to analyze and modify a substructure will be Maestro. The barge file is called start.mdl and can be found on the website for the class.
NOTE: You are required to keep a design log. This log should include the general information about how you modified the model during your various iterations. For example: 5) Increased the girder size on strake 5 to improve girder PSF. Analysis results indicate that larger size improved 3 of the PSF.
The output of the Maestro Scalable analysis is summarized in an output file. At various stages in this project you will need to record the histogram results for substructure 2 of the barge. This histogram gives the number of adequate and inadequate partial safety factors for the substructure. The histogram can be found in the your_model_name.out file around page 250 (use Find “histogram” in your text editor). Copy the substructure 2 histogram and paste it into your project report document when directions below require the histogram to be reported. When you record the histogram results also record the total weight of the strakes for substructure 2 (find “total weight”.) Make sure you use the data from substructure 2 not 1 or 3.
- Start Maestro
- Open start.mdl
- Save model as name.mdl, so that you have a working copy that can be modified.
- Analyze the model using Maestro Scalable.
- Record the histogram and total weight of stakes for module 1 substructure 2.
- Add a compound at the middle of substructure 2 to generate a watertight bulkhead. This will be covered by Professor Burke in class.
- Analyze the model using Maestro Scalable.
- Record the histogram and total weight of stakes for module 1 substructure 2.
- Record your observation in the design log.
- Observe the changes in the deformation in the 3D model. (Graphics images are not required for the submitted report.)
- Record the histogram and total weight of stakes for module 1 substructure 2.
- Using the adequacy tables in the output file (located right before the subsection 2 histogram) determine a strake that needs to be modified to improve its partial safety factors. Modify this strake and re-analyze the model.
- Record the histogram and total weight of stakes for module 1 substructure 2.
- Record your observation in the design log. Did your changes improve the performance?
- Repeat steps 12-14 at least 4 times and try to optimize the performance the subsection 2. You are not required to make all of the partial safety factors positive. But, grades will somewhat be based on who has achieved the best results.
The submitted report should consist of three things. First there should be an abstract describing the project. The next requirement is a summary sheet (including histogram and weight of subsection 2) describing the best model and your observation of the design process. Finally, attach your design log to this report.
