Numerical modelling is the process of discretizing the continuum, that is the ship and the cargo in this case, in a way that allows the analysis of their response to environmental and other loads by numerical methods, in particular the finite element method (FEM). Numerical reconstruction of the ship and cargo, as well as related loads, such as waves and wind, the storage and transport of cargo, performance of structural details and joints, etc., can be used to predict the response, that is, the behaviour of the structure (whether ship or cargo) for a given load by FEM analysis. It is then possible to place such expected behaviour in the context of archaeological research, or to compare it with archaeological finds. In this way, after analysis has been done, the numerical reconstruction of events and occurrences for different scenarios can determine which of these scenarios best matches the facts identified during the archaeological survey. This leads to the scientific validation of the most likely scenario.

Such research methodology can be further extended, for example, by computational fluid dynamics method, and applied to a range of research problems in nautical and maritime archaeology. The expected results of the research depend on research question posed, as follows.

In Work Package 1, the project will address amphorae as universal containers, widespread in antiquity. Over time, amphorae changed their shape, but one of the basic criteria for their usability was always their strength. The result of the research will be the confirmation or rejection of the hypothesis that the evolution of amphorae shapes is based not only on increasing their efficiency (weight to capacity ratio) but also on increasing their strength.

In Work Package 2, the project will examine variations and, consequently, errors that may occur during ship reconstruction based on archaeological finds. The systematic exploration of this problem is of particular importance in every single attempt to produce an actual ship's replica, in order to avoid potentially catastrophic errors in the assessment of the navigational characteristics of a newly built vessel.

In Work Package 3, the project will address possible scenarios of ancient shipwreck, based on one known case from the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. Various shipwrecks are encountered in maritime archaeology, for which is unclear how they have occurred. By forensic analysis of the sunken remains, important data can be obtained that can assist in the numerical reconstruction of the shipwreck.

In Work Package 4, the project will deal with the various components used in the construction of ancient ships. For millennia, wood was the primary building material in ship construction. The remnants of ships from the past testify to the creative genius of the old masters, but they also leave behind many questions that can be discussed in a contemporary way.

In Work Package 5, the project will address the reconstruction of two archaeological finds of ships from the Middle and Early Modern Ages and examine their seaworthiness. These two ships are very significant for the history of Croatian seafaring. It is the paleo-Croat ship called Condura Croatica, found in Nin, and the Venetian ship Gagliana grossa discovered off the island of Gnalić, in one of the most valuable underwater archaeological sites in the world.

The Work Package 6 will attempt to simulate the aging of the ship's structure after sinking and the impact of this process on the site formation process. Given the complexity of the problem, modelling will be retained at the experimental level.