ABSTRACT OF PAPER

- The paper focuses on optimizing the internal layout of oil tankers while considering uncertainties.

- The main objective is to ensure the robustness of ship safety and improve the economic functionality in
the domain of environmental pollution prevention.

- The design variables that are being optimized are the positions of watertight members in the internal
layout.

- The original merit functions that are being maximized and minimized are the cargo capacity and the
longitudinal bending moment in sagging and hogging conditions, respectively.

- The constraints that are being considered are the regulatory limits and the essential requirement of a
proper design.

- The uncertainties related to the prediction of bending moment and accidental consequences are
incorporated into the objectives and constraints of the problem by using a robust-based approach.

- A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to approach the Pareto solutions for the converted problem
under uncertainty.

- The selection of the final design among the Pareto frontier is defined as a post-optimization process
using a method of multi-criteria decision-making.

- The final design is discussed through a comparative study.

INTRODUCTION

- Ship design can be seen as an optimization problem where the goal is to achieve desired
functionalities.

- To solve the design problem, one needs to identify design variables, objectives, constraints, and
strategies for achieving the objectives.

- A model is also required to quantify the relationship between design variables and merit functions in
the domain of constraints.

- Most ship optimization problems assume that design variables, objectives, and constraints are
deterministic parameters, leading to a deterministic optimization problem.
- However, in real life, these parameters and functions include uncertainty, which needs to be
incorporated into the optimization problem.

- Introducing uncertainty to the optimization problem requires methods for analyzing the optimization
problem under uncertainty.

- The defined optimization problem under uncertainty mostly focuses on incorporating uncertain
parameters in the design of ship hull properties.

- For the conceptual design of a bulk carrier ship, Hannapel and Vlahopoulos (2010) introduced
uncertainties to the prediction model of the main dimensions of the vessel.

- The prediction model was a set of empirical equations generated by regression analysis.

- The robust-based approach was applied to define the objectives, and a reliability-based approach was
used to convert the constraints from the deterministic base.

- A similar optimization problem was defined for the conceptual design of a bulk carrier by Diez and Peri
(2010 a).

- The robust-based approach was used for optimizing the main dimensions of the ship under the
uncertainty of the prediction model.

- In a different approach for solving the same problem, Diez and Peri (2010 b) applied stochastic
programming to convert the deterministic optimization to optimization under uncertainty.

- two different studies that deal with the optimization of ship design under uncertainty.

- The first study by Hou et al. (2018) focuses on minimizing EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) by
limiting ship volume and resistance to an acceptable level.

- To incorporate uncertainties, the study introduces design variables of waterline length and breadth
and hull control factors.

- The deterministic problem is then converted to optimization under uncertainty using a reliability-based
approach.

- The second study by Nikolopoulos and Boulougouris (2018) aims to improve the lifecycle performance,
safety efficiency, and economic functions of a container ship.

- The study considers uncertainty due to various sources, including regression models that predict
environmental conditions and economic functions from big data.
- The design variables in this study include parameters that control the main dimensions of the ship and
a few parameters that control the internal layout dimensions of a container ship.

- Both studies use optimization techniques to find the best design solutions that meet the defined
objectives and constraints.

- The incorporation of uncertainties in the optimization process helps to ensure that the final design is
robust and can perform well under different operating conditions.

- The studies demonstrate the importance of considering uncertainties in ship design optimization to
improve safety, efficiency, and economic performance.

- The four widely-used methods are robust-based design optimization (RDO or RBO), reliability-based
design optimization (RBDO), robust- and reliability-based design optimization (R2 BDO or RBRDO), and
stochastic programming.

- The focus of the present work is on the robust-based approach, which is a method that aims to find a
solution that is insensitive to variations in the uncertain parameters.

- The concept of the reliability-based approach is also mentioned, which is a method that aims to find a
solution that meets a certain level of reliability or probability of failure.

- The two approaches share a common method for constraint translation, which means that the
constraints are transformed to ensure that they are satisfied for all possible values of the uncertain
parameters.

- The robust-based approach is preferred in this work because it is more suitable for problems with high
levels of uncertainty and variability, and it can provide a more robust and flexible solution.

- The robust-based approach involves incorporating the uncertainties of the prediction of bending
moment and accidental consequences into the objectives and constraints of the defined problem.

- A multiobjective genetic algorithm is applied to the converted problem under uncertainty to approach
the Pareto solutions, which are the optimal solutions that balance the conflicting objectives.

- Finally, the selection of the final design among the Pareto frontier is defined as a post-optimization
process by using a method of multi-criteria decision-making, which involves evaluating the solutions
based on multiple criteria and selecting the one that best meets the requirements.

- A robust-based design is a design approach that aims to reduce the sensitivity of the design to the
variables.
- In other words, a robust design is less affected by changes in the design variables, making it more
reliable and stable.

- Figure 2 in the paper shows the difference between a deterministic and a robust optimum for a single-
variable single-objective optimization problem with a constraint.

- The deterministic solution is more sensitive to changes in the design variable, resulting in a larger
variation of the objective function.

- On the other hand, the robust solution is less sensitive to changes in the design variable, resulting in a
smaller variation of the objective function.

- A reliability-based design, on the other hand, aims to increase the confidence in the system operation
without failure.

- This means that a reliable design aims to decrease the probability of failure within a certain period.

- Figure 3 in the paper shows the difference between a deterministic and a reliable optimum for a two-
variable single-objective optimization problem with two constraints.

- The reliability of the solution is provided by considering a marginal distance from the boundaries
between feasible and infeasible solutions.

- The reliability optimization aims not only to improve the objective functions but also to increase the
assurance level of satisfying the constraints.

To optimize the internal layout of oil tankers.

- The optimization is aimed at improving safety and economic functionality while considering
uncertainty.

- The approach involves five steps, starting with defining the deterministic framework of the
optimization problem.

- The next step is to model uncertainties in the objective functions and constraints.

- The third step is to use a robust-based method to incorporate uncertainties into the optimization
problem.

- The fourth step involves applying the methodology to a case study and approaching the Pareto
solutions for the designs.

- Finally, the fifth step is to select the final design from the obtained non-dominated solutions using a
multi-attribute decision-making method.

- The approach taken in the paper is important because it considers uncertainty, which is a common
factor in real-world scenarios.
- The use of a robust-based method ensures that the optimization results are not overly sensitive to
uncertainties.

- The multi-objective genetic algorithm used in the approach is a powerful tool for finding Pareto
solutions, which are optimal solutions that cannot be improved in one objective without sacrificing
another.

- The multi-attribute decision-making method used to select the final design is important because it
takes into account multiple criteria, such as safety and economic functionality, which are often
conflicting.

DETERMINISTIC OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM

Explaining the assumptions made in the optimization process of the internal layout of oil tankers.

- The first assumption is that the ship hull is fixed, which means that the overall dimensions of the
available space for the internal layout of the ship do not change during the optimization process.

- However, the dedicated space for the tanks and compartments can be defined by alternative designs,
which means that the optimization process can determine the best use of the available space for the
tanks and compartments.

- The topology of the arranged tanks and compartments is assumed to be fixed because the typical
arrangement of the layout is similar for each type of ship. This means that the optimization process does
not consider changing the arrangement of the tanks and compartments.

- The number of watertight bulkheads (WTB) is dependent on the specified limits in the damage stability
regulation for the tankers. There is no direct recommendation for the number of WTB of oil tankers, but
the damage stability calculation results in a minimum number of WTB for a reference ship with a fixed-
hull shape. The optimum number of WTB is achieved based on this minimum number, and the variation
in the number of WTB can only be possible by increasing the number.

- Therefore, the main challenge of the problem is defined by the determination of the dimensions of the
internal compartments and tanks to approach the optimum of the interest functions. This means that
the optimization process focuses on determining the best dimensions for the internal compartments
and tanks to maximize cargo capacity and minimize the longitudinal bending moment in sagging and
hogging conditions while meeting the regulatory limits and the essential requirement of a proper design.

The design variables of the problem are defined below:

 The positions of the transverse bulkheads alongside the ship (Li; i=1: N T-1)
 The longitudinal positions of inclination of wing tank (Ls1 and Ls2)
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 The position of the collision bulkhead (LCBD )
 The widths of the wing tanks for each longitudinal subdivision (wi; i=1: N T )
 The heights of double bottom tanks for each longitudinal subdivision (h i; i=1: NT )
where NT is the number of WTB, l i is a discrete real parameter, due to the following the distances of
frame
spacing. It should be noted that these parameters define a generic framework for producing different
configurations, such as parallel or inclined walls of the wing tank.

CONSTRAINTS

- Constraints are limitations or requirements that must be satisfied during the optimization process.

- In this paper, the majority of constraints are non-equality type, which means they do not have to be
exactly equal to a certain value, but rather must be less than or greater than a certain value.

- These non-equality constraints are due to regulations, such as intact stability criteria, which have
limitations for transverse and longitudinal stabilities.

- However, these non-equality constraints can be translated to equality constraints, which means they
must be exactly equal to a certain value.

- For example, intact stability regulations can be translated to an equality constraint with two options:
pass (equal to 1) or not pass (not equal to 1).

- The paper uses a combination of both non-equality and equality constraints to simplify the
categorization of the limits.

- This approach is especially helpful during the identification of the priorities for constraint conversion to
a robust-based approach.

- A robust-based approach takes into account uncertainties in the optimization process, ensuring that
the final design is robust and safe even under uncertain conditions.

OBJECTIVE FUNCTIONS

- The optimization problem aims to increase safety and economic functions of oil tankers.

- The first objective is to maximize the cargo capacity, which is the major financial return of oil tankers.
However, increasing the cargo capacity may not always be in the same direction of improving safety and
environmental protection. For example, a ship with a larger capacity of cargo oil is exposed to a higher
risk of oil outflow in the event of accidents. Therefore, improving the economic functionality together
with safety and pollution prevention is a challenging task.
- The second objective is to minimize the maximum hogging still water bending moment. The still water
loads are induced on the ship hull due to the difference between the weight and buoyancy distributions.
The vertical still water loads are the most investigated component of the induced loads because of the
high values of the imposed loads relative to the other variables. Thus, these loads have a significant
effect on the design of the ship's structure and are consequently more effective on the safety of the ship
hull. The vertical bending moment is a significant indication of the imposed load to the ship hull among
the components of induced loads due to the still water.

- The third objective is to minimize the maximum sagging still water bending moment. Similar to the
second objective, the still water loads induce sagging bending moments on the ship hull. The sagging
bending moment is the maximum bending moment that occurs when the ship is in a sagging condition,
which is when the middle of the ship is lower than the bow and stern. Minimizing the sagging bending
moment is important for the safety of the ship hull, as it can cause structural damage and even lead to
the ship's sinking.

- The optimization problem considers the regulatory limits and the essential requirement of a proper
design as constraints.

- The uncertainties of the prediction of bending moment and accidental consequences are incorporated
into the objectives and constraints of the defined problem by a robust-based approach. This approach
aims to find a solution that is robust to uncertainties and can perform well under different scenarios.

- A multiobjective genetic algorithm is applied to the converted problem under uncertainty to approach
the Pareto solutions. The Pareto solutions are the set of solutions that cannot be improved in one
objective without sacrificing the performance in another objective.

- Finally, the selection of the final design among the Pareto frontier is defined as a post-optimization
process by using a method of multi-criteria decision-making. This process aims to select a design that
performs well in all objectives and satisfies the constraints.

- The discussion of the final design is provided by a comparative study, which compares the final design
with other designs and evaluates its performance in terms of safety, economic functionality, and
pollution prevention.

UNCERTAINITY MODELLING

The modeling of uncertainty in the optimization process of the internal layout of oil tankers.

- The uncertainty was only modeled for one of the objective functions, which is SWBM (longitudinal
bending moment in sagging and hogging conditions). The other objective function, which is cargo
capacity, is assumed to be a deterministic value.
- This assumption is based on the fact that oil tankers usually operate in two load conditions, full load
and ballast. In full load conditions, the maximum allowable cargo capacity is used, while in full ballast
condition, no cargo is carried by the oil tankers.

- For the constraints, the uncertainty was only modeled for accidental oil outflow. This is because
pollution prevention is one of the major concerns of oil tankers in the event of accidents.

- It is worth noting that oil tankers are usually in the safe side of stability criteria. Therefore, increasing
the reliability margin relative to constraints of intact and damage stability criteria are more interesting in
other types of ships, such as container ships.

- The modeling of uncertainty in the optimization process is done using a robust-based approach, which
incorporates the uncertainties of the prediction of bending moment and accidental consequences into
the objectives and constraints of the defined problem.

- A multi objective genetic algorithm is applied to the converted problem under uncertainty to approach
the Pareto solutions.

- Finally, the selection of the final design among the Pareto frontier is defined as a post-optimization
process by using a method of multi-criteria decision-making.

- The discussion of the final design is provided by a comparative study.