Efficient finite element analysis and structural lightweight of deep-sea floating raft cage

Regarding the cumbersome finite element modeling problem caused by the complex structure and diverse loads of deep-sea floating raft aquaculture cages, we applied an efficient finite element analysis and designed a structural optimization method. Taking a deep-sea floating raft aquaculture cage with a diameter of 40 meters as an example, this study accomplished the parametric calculation and application of loads including wind, waves, and currents through algorithm streamlining and program development. The implementation encompassed node and element definitions, as well as real-time updates of optimization parameters. Secondary development based on ANSYS software was performed, which achieved efficient finite element modeling and structural reconstruction of the aquaculture cage system. On the basis of the efficient finite element modeling, the structural optimization based on the genetic algorithm was realized, and the robustness of the optimization algorithm was enhanced by introducing the power variation function. The results show that under the condition of consistent structural strength, the optimized cage effectively reduced the mass by 17.98%. The method in this paper can provide a reference for the design and structural optimization of deep-sea floating raft aquaculture cages.