Module overview
Ships, offshore structures and other marine vehicles must float safely, remain stable in challenging environmental conditions and operate efficiently throughout their service lives. Understanding the behaviour of floating bodies is therefore fundamental to naval architecture and underpins the design, construction and operation of almost every maritime system.
In this module, you will develop an understanding of the principles that govern flotation, buoyancy, stability and hydrostatics. Through analytical problem-solving and engineering applications, you will learn how naval architects assess the performance and safety of marine vehicles and make informed design decisions. Alongside the technical principles, you will begin to explore the wider responsibilities of engineers to society, safety and the environment.
By the end of the module, you will be able to analyse the fundamental hydrostatic behaviour of floating bodies and apply these principles to real maritime engineering problems. The knowledge and confidence gained will provide an essential foundation for future study in ship design, marine structures, hydrodynamics and professional naval architecture practice.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Partial CEng Programme Level Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Students conduct hydrostatic calculations through programming and must select and use appropriate numerical methods for interpolation and integration.
- Two formative laboratory sessions are held, the first explored aspects of Archimedes principle and the second is an experimental inclining laboratory, both designed to complement the theory in the lectures.
- Hydrostatic and stability calculations use a basic understanding of mathematics and physics and are a vital aspect of Maritime Engineering and assessed through the examination. Links between the calculations and various regulations are explored.
- Students are expected to evaluate the results they obtain from first principles hydrostatic calculations and comment on their validity/meaning in the context of the problem they are solving and is assessed in the examination and the computing assignment.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Use basic numerical methods, such as Simpson's and trapezium rules and interpolation techniques, to formulate and obtain hydrostatic properties of hull forms.
- Use simple measurement techniques to obtain data.
- Use basic mathematical techniques, such as integration, to formulate and obtain hydrostatic properties of simple geometries.
- Realise a concept design of a ship or boat geometry using CAD software and it's presentation as a technical drawing
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Learn through tutorials and begin to learn independently.
- Undertake a laboratory based Inclining experiment.
- Obtain and accurately analyse data applying your knowledge/understanding of this module
- Team working through laboratory experiment.
- Numerical integration.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The concepts of area, first and second moments of area and their applications to floating bodies.
- The concept of fairness and its application to ship and boat geometry
- The different types of marine vehicles and identify characteristics influencing their design.
- The concepts of equilibrium and changes in equilibrium of floating bodies.
- The use of numerical methods for calculating hydrostatic properties.
- The concepts of static and dynamic stability.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Understand the basic principles of equilibrium of floating bodies.
- Calculate relevant hydrostatic properties using theoretical and numerical methods.
Syllabus
• Introduction to different types and classifications of marine vehicles and their roles.
• Ship geometry - lines plan, curve of areas.
• Ship parameters - form coefficients, fineness coefficients.
• Equilibrium of floating and submerged bodies - volume, centres of buoyancy and gravity.
• Properties of irregular shapes - areas, first moments, second moments.
• Longitudinal and transverse metacentres.
• Problems involving changes of draught and trim.
• Numerical integration.
• Initial transverse stability.
• Virtual centres - suspended weights, free surface, stability during docking.
• Large angle stability - GZ curves and effects of changing hull geometry.
• Dynamic stability - effect of sudden loads, stability criteria.
• Flooding calculations - added weight, lost buoyancy, floodable length, permeability.
• Launching calculations and curves.
• Inclining experiment.
• Analysis of the results of an inclining experiment to determine the centre of gravity.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Learning activities include
• Lectures
• Interactive tutorials
• Seminars / guest lectures
• Directed reading
• Example sheets
• Experimentation
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Seminar | 6 |
| Wider reading or practice | 12 |
| Supervised time in studio/workshop | 12 |
| Lecture | 35 |
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Follow-up work | 15 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 15 |
| Tutorial | 15 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Blackboard. The University Blackboard site for this module is extensively and continuously updated during the delivery of the module with incidents pertinent to the module.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
The learning outcomes of this module will be assessed under the Part I Assessment Schedule for FEE Engineering Programmes which forms an Appendix to your Programme Specification. Feedback will be available on the formative work undertaken during the module.Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Coursework portfolio | 20% |
| Final Assessment | 80% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Set Task | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Set Task | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External