TESTING STABILITY WITHOUT PENDULUMS: A FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS
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Authors
Frain, Patrick B. Jr.
Subjects
incline experiment
stability test
metacentric height
pendulum
digital inclinometer
stability test
metacentric height
pendulum
digital inclinometer
Advisors
Papoulias, Fotis A.
Date of Issue
2018-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Current International Maritime Organization (IMO) and U.S. Coast Guard regulations require inclining tests of vessels to use three heel-measuring devices, one of which must be a pendulum. This is a problem since pendulums are required to be at least 10 feet in height and newer vessel designs are constrained by overhead clearance and deck space. To investigate this problem, this thesis examines five different stability test results that were submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center (MSC). The author identified and inputted random error into the independent variables used to calculate each vessel’s metacentric height (GM). The independent variables were then used in a Design of Experiment (DOE) to examine which factors had the strongest effect on GM. Of the factors analyzed, the device used to measure heel angle proved to be the most significant. The author then constructed three different miniature models to conduct inclining experiments in a controlled environment. The heel-measuring devices used during these experiments were a smartphone and pendulum. In all three miniature model experiments, the smartphone demonstrated better precision over the pendulum. This thesis recommends keeping current standards and regulations intact until further data and research are gathered.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Systems Engineering (SE)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.