The Application of a Ship Synthesis Model (SSM) for the Trade-off Study of Offshore Patrol Vessel

In the naval ship design and acquisition process, especially at an early stage, is increasingly crucial the application of computational tools, able to tackle the main ship characteristics and their interactions for the assessment of different design solutions in a reasonable time. The most comprehensive use of such computational tools is, undeniably, the possible interface with a cost estimating module and a performance evaluator with the aim to better lead the concept exploration process. The Ship Synthesis Model (SSM) can be an useful computational tools/approach in this exploration process: it allows to select a subset of feasible ship configurations which satisfy the settled requirement, evidencing the balancing of different functions, often affected by conflicting constraints. In fact, beside design requirements (speed, endurance, crew members, payload…), it permits to identify several design parameters (L,B, form coefficients, propulsion and diesel enerator plants,…), together with their functional relations and functional constraints. Then different balances in terms of propulsion and electric power, weights, volumes and areas are worked out. In the proposed paper an SSM code is presented together with an application case, in terms of trade off analysis for an offshore patrol vessel design. The sensitivity analysis of the SSM tool has been performed in relation with different ship requirements.