Saving weight and increasing performance by introducing a composite gangway for the Ampelmann system

Creating a producible and certifiable design

Master thesis (2017)

Authors

J.R. Thuijs Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

J.M.J.F. van Campen Aerospace Structures & Computational Mechanics - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 1)
J. Sinke Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 2)
O.K. Bergsma Structural Integrity & Composites - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 2)
Koen van Valkenhoef (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering
Copyright: © 2017 Jeroen Thuijs
Composites Production Certification Gangway Offshore
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Published Date

15-08-2017

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

With a changing market for offshore crew transfer systems the current Ampelmann systems are vulnerable for competitors. One of the downsides of the current system is its influence on the ship due to the system mass. A lightweight re-design of the current steel gangway using composites could start an overall weight decrease. A composite gangway has been designed with the focus on producibility and certifiability. As there are no active regulations regarding the use of composites for this offshore application collaboration has taken place to define the critical points. The created composite design saves 65% weight compared to the current design while being 40% cheaper over a 20 year life time excluding initial investments. A prototype needs to be build and tested to get the required certification once the fire requirements are decided upon.