M4 ENGINEERING, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N171-059

Description

The finite element method has been well-established for modern structural design and analysis. However, significant modeling choices must still be made in trying to achieve answers accurate enough for engineering decisions, but without unwarranted computational effort. This is especially true for high value complex submarine hull structures that are needed to protect Navy warfighters and enable successful missions. Using a rational series of models of varying fidelity, M4 Engineering will develop a comprehensive design guide of best practices and their temporal and spatial regions of applicability that can be utilized by the Navy and its contractors during their design and analysis activities. A comprehensive manual set giving specifications that will standardize submarine hull structure modeling best practices will be created. Artificial intelligence methods will be used to create a complementary software tool to provide an automated means for giving detailed modeling recommendations for specific designs. The design recommendations and the process for developing them will be validated via a companion experimental program that will be planned partially during Phase I for execution during later project phases.