This paper presents the local structural analysis of a steel foundation supporting the pumps of a potable water system installed on a 30,000 DWT Handymax bulk carrier. The aim is to evaluate the structural behaviour of the foundation under static and dynamic loads representative for shipboard service and to propose simple constructive improvements that enhance stiffness and vibration performance. The potable water system is briefly described, including design requirements, sizing of the pumps, hydrophore unit and heat exchanger. The support structure is modelled in 3D CAD and analysed using the finite element method in ANSYS Mechanical, considering the mass of the pump unit and excitation frequencies up to 60 Hz. Three foundation variants are investigated: the initial design, a stiffened version obtained by adding local reinforcements and an alternative closed-section frame using rectangular hollow profiles. For each model, deformations and equivalent von Mises stresses are evaluated and compared with the yield limit of steel S235JR and with serviceability criteria from Eurocode 3. The results show that the optimized foundation with rectangular hollow sections significantly reduces maximum deformations and improves dynamic behaviour, without exceeding allowable stress levels. Recommendations for monitoring, maintenance and vibration isolation using spring-type anti-vibration mounts are also formulated.
Descalui et al. (2025) studied this question.