Designing shock-resistant marine structures

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The ultimate practical goal of my research is to make operating in our coastal waters safer and to better protect the lives of the thousands of Canadians that earn their living working on offshore platforms and ships. I will accomplish this by introducing novel designs of marine structures that are able to withstand shock waves better than the currently used ones. Considering that the Atlantic Coast offshore industry alone is a vast sector of Canadian economy with the total worth of $31 billion, using safer marine structures will also mean significant savings of the operational costs, thus providing substantial economic benefits to the nation. Not less importantly, the consequences of accidents involving marine structures are usually very grave, and often have detrimental and long-term environmental impacts. Introducing more shock-resistant marine structures will reduce the environmental risk associated with offshore industry, thus contributing to protecting our natural environment and preserving it for future generations. The recent explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the subsequent oil spill that caused the environmental damage of epic proportions and incurred $11 billion in the cleanup costs are a clear indication of the immediate need for safer, more explosion-resistant marine structures. The research initiative proposed here will contribute to making such novel structures a reality. I have already introduced a number of promising shock-reduction ideas for simpler structural configurations. I will use them as a foundation for modifying the existing marine structures in ways that will ensure their superior resistance to shock waves, thus providing their improved survivability in accidents. As the result, I will deliver novel, cost-efficient designs of marine structures that will significantly improve the safety of our offshore industry and navy.