Design of High Speed Craft from a Human Factors Perspective - Model Tests Fluid Structure Interactions

Research Group, School of Engineering Sciences

D.J. Taunton
School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, UK

Aims & Objectives

One of the main objectives of the naval architecture component of this project is to develop linkages between the principal design particulars of high speed craft (such as vessel geometry and mass distribution) and the rigid body motions and accelerations resulting from different operational characteristics (such as speed, wave period and height).

Description of Models
Existing experimental data for systematic series of planing craft has been limited to prismatic hullforms, which are not representative of modern high speed craft. A more recent series of planing craft based on the US Coastguard 47ft Motor Life Boat has been tested, but only in calm water. There is a need for seakeeping data for a modern series of hullforms both for validating numerical models and as design data. A survey of built high speed interceptor craft and U.I.M P1 Powerboats, shows the typical L/B range from 3.7 to 5.8. A systematic series of planing hulls were developed which covered this range of L/B ratios and extended the maximum L/B. All models had a deadrise angle of 22.5 degrees at the transom increasing to 50 degrees at the bow. The models had a longitudinal step or spray rail running the length of the hull. The parent hull (Model C) was built with a removable section between the LCG and transom to allow transverse steps to be fitted. This allowed two further models to be created Model C1 1 transverse step and Model C2 2 transverse steps.
Figure 1: Model C Model LOA [m] Bchine [m] Bwl [m] T [m] L/Bwl L/1/3 A 2.0 0.246 0.278 0.067 7.2 0.87 B 2.0 0.299 0.338 0.081 5.9 0.76 C 2.0 0.351 0.397 0.095 5.0 0.69 D 2.0 0.404 0.457 0.109 4.4 0.62

Table 1: Model Details

Example Results
The parameters tested included L/B or L/1/3 ; Speed; Seastate; Load Coefficient; Radius of Gyration and the Influence of transverse steps. In order to make measurements for assessing human factors the sample rate used to acquire the data needed to be scaled by the square root of the scale factor which resulted in a sample rate of 5kHz. Measurements of the rigid body motions and accelerations were made including heave, pitch, pitch rate, vertical acceleration at the bow and Centre of Gravity and wave height.
Az (COG) RMQ Crest RMS[g] [g] Factor RMS [g] Az (Bow) RMQ Crest [g] Factor

Figure 2: Model B in Waves

Model A B C D

0.54 0.87 5.34 1.13 2.06 6.76 0.52 0.84 6.13 1.15 2.08 7.20 0.46 0.75 5.73 0.94 1.63 6.20 0.50 0.81 6.11 1.06 1.91 8.00 Table 2: Influence of Hull form on Vertical accelerations at 12m/s in Jonswap Spectrum T=4s, H=0.5m

Figure 3: Model C - Vertical Acceleration

Further Work
The tank test data will be analysed to produce design charts suitable for use by designers, which present the data in a format suitable for assessing human factors in line with existing criteria such as RMS and VDV. Use the model test data to validate the numerical model.

Acknowledgements

Data logging equipment has been purchased with funds from the Royal Academy of Engineering and School of Engineering Sciences.