Split-hopper barges: Workability of a split-hopper barge in irregular seas

A split hopper barge is a dredging vessel that can split over its longitudinal axis to discharge its cargo. To allow for such an operation, the barge consists of two half-hulls that are connected by hinges at the top and hydraulic cylinders at the bottom. Any forces that act at the interface between the half-hulls have to be transferred by the...