Maneuvering of high speed displacement vessels in regular waves

Abstract

This doctoral thesis presents a comprehensive exploration of maneuvering performance in waves, aiming to gain insight into the interactive behavior of waves and vessels and use this interaction to develop a mathematical model of maneuvering in waves. The research focuses on the adaptation of experimental methods, practical system-based methods, and computational analysis techniques to enhance the integration of solution methods. The central objective of this thesis is to systematically reveal the complicated characteristics of mean wave drift loads. Additionally, the thesis aims to demonstrate the influence of these loads on the assessment of maneuvering performance. The research seeks to bridge the gap between traditional investigation of maneuvering in calm water and growing demand for determining the minimum propulsion power needed to maintain a ship's maneuverability in adverse conditions. The study employs a systematic approach, combining various research techniques. It utilizes a system-based mathematical method along with laboratory experiments and simulation-based analyses to achieve its objectives. The methodology encompasses theoretical modeling, computational simulations, and practical measurements. The research reveals that integrating mean wave drift loads, namely surge wave drift force, sway wave drift force, and yaw wave drift moment, obtained with a practical experimental approach or computational methods, can significantly enhance the capacity of system-based models. The data reduction procedure enables to reach of zeroth-frequency values representing the mean wave drift loads. This thesis contributes a novel approach to research endeavors, experimental initiatives, and software development projects aimed at elucidating the concept of "maintaining maneuverability" in challenging sea conditions. The findings underscore the importance of adapting wave conditions to maneuvering applications developed with new approaches. The insights from this research hold wide-ranging implications for ocean engineering practitioners and researchers. The presented framework offers a holistic perspective that can guide maneuvering performance and navigational safety. The findings of this thesis will be also presented in the activity named "Assessment of Experiments and Prediction Methods for Naval Ships Maneuvering in Waves", the activity period of which is 2021-2023 and still continues. The activity is carried out within the scope of Applied Vehicle Technology (AVT) and is referred to by the code AVT-348. In conclusion, this doctoral thesis presents a practical experimental and numerical approach to achieve surge, sway, and yaw wave drift loads in regular waves which are then used to demonstrate the effect of wave-related loads on the maneuvering performance of surface vessels. The measured wave drift forces and moments are incorporated into the equations of motion for maneuvering to predict the effect of waves on the maneuvering performance of a vessel. A simplified mathematical model to show the behavior of the vessel in waves is represented by four nonlinear equations of motion for surge, sway, yaw, and roll. The turning circle, which is one of the standard maneuvering tests is simulated for ONR Tumblehome (ONRT) at different wave conditions in order to demonstrate the effect of wave drift forces on the trajectories and time histories of maneuvering parameters.