This poster presents a study on the hydrodynamic and structural performance analysis of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) designed for hydrographic surveying. Hydrographic surveying is essential for seabed mapping, underwater data collection, and marine resource exploration, but conventional methods rely heavily on crewed vessels, which are costly and labor-intensive. To address these limitations, this research investigates the feasibility and performance of an AUV using numerical simulation techniques. A Myring hull shape was selected for the AUV because of its superior hydrodynamic characteristics, including reduced drag and improved stability. The geometric model of the AUV was developed using Rhinoceros 3D based on the Myring curve equation. Computational simulations were then carried out using ANSYS Fluent for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and ANSYS Static Structural for Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis. The simulations evaluated the vehicle’s performance across different operating conditions, including water flow speeds ranging from 0.5 m/s to 5 m/s and water depths up to 1000 m. The CFD analysis examined the flow field behavior around the AUV to understand turbulence zones, drag characteristics, and velocity distribution. Results indicate that the drag force increases non-linearly with speed, where a threefold increase in velocity can produce nearly five times greater drag force. The FEM structural analysis investigated the effects of hydrostatic pressure at different depths. The findings show that equivalent stress increases nearly linearly with depth, exceeding the yield strength of the titanium structure at approximately 935 m. Despite this, structural deformation remains minimal (less than 2.5 mm) even at deep-water conditions, indicating strong structural stability. The results demonstrate that AUVs can significantly enhance hydrographic surveying by improving operational efficiency, reducing human risk in harsh marine environments, and minimizing environmental impact through lower noise and carbon emissions. This research highlights the potential of optimized AUV designs for long-endurance underwater missions and future automated marine exploration systems.
Biswas et al. (Mon,) studied this question.