Experimental investigation of the motions and internal free surface profiles of a damaged ship

Abstract

1. INTRODUCTION
Research on the motion of damaged ships by Söding, Dongkon Lee et al. and Hong et al. (2007, Korkut et al. (2004), Santos et al. (2002) and known ship capsize investigations by Kishev (Bulgaria) is partially a response to Herald of Free Enterprise, European Gateway, Estonia and other marine incidents.
The catalyst for the experimental programme to take place over the 9–day period 15th February to 21st February 2010 arises from the an observation related to the theoretical optimisation of intact ships for both resistance (frictional, wave and added) and peak seakeeping responses subject to IMO intact stability conditions (Hearn et al., 1990–1995, Hearn & Wright, 1999). Hearn and a number of his co-researchers, former colleagues at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, investigated the hydrodynamic optimisation of ship hull forms to simultaneously improve peak seakeeping responses, the wave making resistance and added resistance. Parallel research into intact ship optimisation has been carried out by Day & Doctors (1977, 1995).
Within these studies it was observed that theoretical estimates of additional viscous resistance did not exceed 4% increase above the non-optimised resistance value. This increase in frictional resistance was outweighed by the larger improvements in the wave making and added resistance components (due to significant improvements in the motion responses). Furthermore, the intact stability of the ships (monohull or catamaran) was not adversely affected.
Whilst apparent win-win-win scenarios may be attractive there is often an expected negative impact somewhere. Standard naval architectural calculations revealed no negative factors. This was equally disturbing. The idea that the ‘damaged optimised ship’ might have worse motions than the ‘damaged non-optimised ship’ seemed both a perverse and an undesirable possibility. Hence at the University of Southampton, Hearn and his research students started to investigate this possibility (see Saydan & Hearn, 2004 & Saydan PhD thesis 2006).

More information

Identifiers

ORCID for John. Chaplin: orcid.org/0000-0003-2814-747X

Catalogue record

Export record