Vibration Features of the Aft Shafting Subjected to Semi-Submerged Propeller Hydrodynamic Excitation

To reduce the adverse effects of stern-shaft system vibration on ship performance, this work combined hydrodynamic excitations calculated for a semi-submerged propeller and established a multibody dynamics (MBDs) model of the stern shaft system that included a flexible shaft, propeller, and elastically damped support bearings. The MBDs model’s accuracy was verified through comparison between experimentally identified modal parameters and those computed by the model. It was found that the bearing stiffness and the hydrodynamic excitation frequency collectively determine the vibration amplitude and modal shape of the shaft system, based on an analysis of varied bearing stiffness and damping. Bearing displacement had a significant impact on shafting vibration. And the tie rod with a stiffness of 2.5 × 107 N/m provided a noticeable vibration damping effect. The findings offered theoretical support for mitigating stern-shaft vibration in high-speed vessels subjected to hydrodynamic excitation from semi-submerged propellers.