PREDICTIONS OF WAVE INDUCED SHIP MOTIONS AND LOADS BY LARGE-SCALE MODEL MEASUREMENT AT SEA AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

In order to accurately predict wave induced motion and load responses of ships, a new experimental methodology is proposed. The new method includes conducting tests with large-scale models under natural environment conditions. The testing technique for large-scale model measurement proposed is quite applicable and general to a wide range of standard hydrodynamics experiments in naval architecture. In this study, a large-scale segmented self-propelling model allowed for investigating seakeeping performance and wave load behaviour as well as the testing systems were designed and experiments performed. A 2-hour voyage trial of the large-scale model aimed to perform a series of simulation exercises was carried out at Huludao harbour in October 2014. During the voyage, onboard systems, operated by crew, were used to measure and record the sea waves and the model responses. The post-voyage analysis of the measurements, both of the sea waves and the model’s responses, were made to predict the ship’s motion and load responses of short-term under the corresponding sea state. Furthermore, numerical analysis of short-term prediction was made by an in-house code and the result was compared with the experiment data. The long-term extreme prediction of motions and loads was also carried out based on the numerical results of short-term prediction.