A Direct Measurement of Vibration on the HDPE Structure of POLBENG Research Boat

Abstract

The adoption of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as the primary material for boat structures has increased
significantly in recent years. In response to contemporary challenges and to facilitate research requirements, Polytechnic of
Bengkalis (POLBENG) constructed a research boat utilizing HDPE. Nevertheless, further research on the response of the
HDPE structure to vibrations generated by the main propulsion engine remains insufficiently intensive. Therefore, a direct
measurement of ship vibration is conducted utilizing vibration sensors, namely Witmotion WTVB02-485. Both inside and
outside of the accommodation rooms, measurements were taken. By comparing the vibrational velocity's Root Mean Square
(RMS) to standards established by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a classification society, structural assessment
was evaluated. Furthermore, resonance events were discovered by comparing the Blade Passing Frequency (BPF) with the
recorded peak frequency output. The HDPE structure seems to be dependable, according to the measurement findings at
both locations. The RMS of 0.020 mm/s and a peak frequency of 33.31 Hz were recorded inside the accommodation area,
whereas 0.013 mm/s and 31.52 Hz were recorded outside.