Pengaruh Jarak Penegar Terhadap Kekuatan Buckling Sekat Kapal Tongkang Menggunakan Metode Elemen Hingga Linier dan Nonlinier

Abstract

The transverse bulkhead is one of the primary structural components of a barge that contributes to overall structural strength and watertight integrity. However, the bulkhead is susceptible to buckling failure when subjected to compressive loads, particularly if the stiffener spacing is not appropriately designed. This study aims to investigate the effect of stiffener spacing on the buckling strength of a barge transverse bulkhead using linear and nonlinear finite element methods. Five stiffener spacing configurations were analyzed, namely 610 mm, 762 mm, 1016 mm, 1524 mm, and a model without stiffeners. The numerical simulation was performed using finite element analysis by evaluating the von Mises stress, maximum deformation, buckling mode, and critical buckling load. The results indicate that increasing the stiffener spacing leads to greater structural deformation and a reduction in buckling resistance. The model with a stiffener spacing of 610 mm exhibited the smallest deformation, with maximum values of 1.0783 mm in the linear analysis and 1.0138 mm in the nonlinear analysis. Conversely, the model without stiffeners experienced the largest deformation, reaching 2.1511 mm and 2.0283 mm, respectively. The nonlinear analysis also demonstrated the structural response after the critical buckling load, including stiffness degradation and post-buckling behavior, which could not be captured by the linear analysis. Although the linear analysis provided a conservative prediction of structural deformation, the nonlinear analysis produced a more realistic representation of the structural behavior by considering geometric nonlinearity during loading. It can be concluded that stiffener spacing significantly influences the buckling performance of the transverse bulkhead. Closer stiffener spacing improves structural stiffness, reduces deformation, and enhances buckling resistance. Therefore, nonlinear finite element analysis is recommended for evaluating the structural behavior of ship bulkheads under compressive loading because it provides a more comprehensive prediction of buckling behavior than linear analysis.