Scientists at Sevastopol State University (SevSU) will tackle a problem that can destroy ships—dangerous self-induced vibrations.

Russian Scientists Tackle Deadly Ship Vibrations with Groundbreaking Study

This phenomenon is known as flutter. Under certain conditions, these oscillations rapidly intensify and can lead to structural deformation or even catastrophic failure. The project is funded by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), as reported by the university's press service to TASS.

Flutter was first identified in aviation in the early 20th century, yet engineers still have not found a way to completely prevent it. Now, researchers from SevSU's Department of Higher Mathematics plan to adapt a method proposed by their colleague, Stanislav Papkov, for marine structures. In 2019, Papkov defended his doctoral dissertation at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in St. Petersburg, where he introduced a novel approach to analyzing vibrations and the stability of mechanical systems. The team intends to apply this method to thin-walled elements—such as the hulls of ships, boats, marine drones, offshore platforms, and port infrastructure.

"There are no elegant, pen-and-paper mathematical solutions here," Papkov explains. "We need to build models, write code, conduct computational experiments, and ideally test them in real-world conditions. Our goal is to provide recommendations on which parameter combinations can trigger not just flutter, but even severe vibrations. A ship's mast could enter resonance and snap off due to oscillations. Hulls and propellers can sustain damage at high speeds. These are critical issues."

The researchers will employ the dynamic stiffness method, an alternative to conventional commercial software currently in use. They will first develop mathematical models accounting for the interaction between structures and both water and air, then create their own computational programs. Ultimately, they aim to produce clear guidelines on which parameter combinations and speeds pose a risk of flutter.