Optimasi Struktur Kapal Tongkang Ramah Lingkungan Dengan Pendekatan Reduksi Berat Dan Konsumsi Material Menggunakan Metode Elemen Hingga

Abstract

The maritime industry is increasingly required to develop lighter and more material-efficient ship structures while maintaining structural safety. This study aims to optimize the structural design of a barge through structural modifications and plate thickness reduction using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The optimization process was carried out by evaluating several structural modification models and reducing deck plate thickness while ensuring compliance with the structural strength requirements specified by the Indonesian Classification Bureau (BKI). The structural performance of each configuration was assessed based on Von Mises stress, total deformation, and structural weight. The analysis identified Structural Modification Model C with a 10 mm reduction in deck plate thickness as the optimum structural configuration. This model provided the most favorable balance between structural strength, deformation, and material efficiency by reducing the structural weight by 8.41 tons (6.93%) while maintaining the maximum Von Mises stress within the allowable limit prescribed by BKI. The maximum total deformation reached 7.9914 mm, representing a 3.78% increase compared with the baseline model, while the structural stiffness remained acceptable for the intended loading conditions. These results demonstrate that the proposed optimization approach can effectively reduce structural weight and steel consumption without compromising the structural integrity of the barge. The findings confirm that the Finite Element Method is an effective numerical approach for evaluating and optimizing barge structures through structural modification and selective material reduction. The proposed optimization strategy provides a practical reference for improving material efficiency and supports the development of lighter barge structures that contribute to the concept of environmentally friendly ship design.