Impact of the ship hull geometry on sinkage.

This paper aims to analyse how hull geometry affects the ships sinkage. A 12 ship database is used to study hull forms effect on sinkage both experimentally and numerically, which sinkage towing test results – collected from previous experimental campaigns – were compared towards the ships form coefficients. The negative effect caused by a draft increase was studied and the bow shapes effect was analysed in detail with the experimental results of two pairs of ships in which the hull forms design only differed in the bow. Numerically, the dynamic pressure field diagrams for the different ships were analysed to study the pressure fluctuations, and the simulations were validated with the experimental results. From the study described above on sinkage, a strong relation between sinkage and the slenderness of ships was established leading to a predictive model of sinkage based on the slenderness of ships. By contrast, the bow shapes effect on sinkage suggested was rejected and it was concluded that the stern and the action of the propeller could have a key role in the sinkage of ships. Further research must be done to decrease CFD uncertainties at sinkage evaluation and to analyse the stern pressure fluctuations. • The sinkage of ships has significant effect on ship drag. • Sinkage mitigation can be tackled through hull form modification. • Correlation between numerical and experimental data on sinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]