• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.69-75
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop a buckling analysis technique for a windpower system structure under environmental loadings (hydrostatic pressure) using FEM. We analyzed an isotropic material and composite material and made a comparison using buckling pressure formulas. First, finite element analyses for an isotropic material (SC410) were performed to obtain the variation of buckling pressure for the number of elements and boundary conditions in a pressure-shell model, and the numerical results were compared with those of existing empirical formulas. Then, additional finite element analyses based on the results of the isotropic material (SC410) were performed to determine the optimum lamination angle and pattern for a composite material (URN300). The results of the FE analyses for the composite material were also compared with those of existing empirical formulas. The ply orientations (lamination angles) used in the FE analyses were $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $75^{\circ}$, and. The lamination patterns in the FE analyses were and. The lamination pattern was assumed to be the equivalent model of. The results of the FE analyses for the isotropic material (SC410) indicated that the optimal values for the number of elements and the boundary conditions were 6000 and both simply supported, respectively. The results of the FE analyses for the composite material (URN300) showed that the optimal ply orientation was $60^{\circ}{\sim}75^{\circ}$.