Hierarchical structure of the electronic information model of a ship

This article focuses on approaches based on shipbuilding simulation such as digital shipbuilding, Simulation Based Design (SBD), and virtual shipyard. The article deals with the main aspects of methodology of selecting the type of the hierarchical structure of the Electronic Information Model of a Ship (EIMS). The selection of a particular representation of the EIMC structure is ambiguous: on the one hand, the model structure must include the most general elements of the object (ship) hierarchy, encompassing all stages of the lifecycle; on the other hand, as shown above, hierarchical elements of each stage are specific. General principles of structuring EIMS are considered, and influence of essential criteria of EIMS use at different stages of the ship lifecycle is analyzed. The most optimal hierarchical structure of EMIS is selected using the expert estimation method (chosen by investigation), which is based on a combined approach of the analytic hierarchy process introduced by T. Saaty. The expert analysis indicates importance of selection of EIMC structure type prior to initiation of implementing the lifecycle of a particular ship, provided that PLM systems are used.