Seakeeping characteristics of SLICE hulls: a motion study in six degrees of freedom

Abstract

A motion study is conducted on the SLICE Advanced Technology Demonstration vessel utilizing an existing software code. The SLICE concept is an advancement of conventional small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) design, conceived by the Lockheed Missile and Space Company of Sunnyvale, California. The SLICE is a multiple mission capable vessel due to the modular payload design. The weight report for the ferry application is used to construct a weight curve for input into the modeling program. The motions of surge, heave, sway, pitch, roll, and yaw are analyzed and discussed for excitations in regular and irregular waves; covering sea state one through seven. General seakeeping criteria are applied to rate the performance of the SLICE. The results of this study indicate the SLICE to be within the given criteria in seas up through sea state four provided, active/passive control surfaces can reduce vertical plane motions common to SWATH vessels. (MM)