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STABILITY AND TRIM

DDEFINITION OF TERMS
Added Weight Method. A method of
solving for damage stability where the water which enters the vessel is considered an added weight.

Density. The weight per unit volume of a

substance.

Displacement.

Block Coefficient. A coefficient of fineness

which expresses the relationship between the volume of displacement and a block having the length, breadth, and draft the vessel.

Center of Buoyancy. That point at which

all the vertically upward forces of buoyancy are considered to be concentrated; the center of volume of the immersed portion of the vessel.

The weight of water displaced by a floating object. Equal to the weight of the object. Downflooding Angle. The angle of heel where water first enter the hull of a vessel through an opening. This angle is the maximum angle at which the intact stability curves are valid.

Draft. The linear distance from the bottom of

the keel to the waterline.

Center of Flotation. The center of gravity

of the waterplane; the point around which a vessel trims.

Dynamical Stability. The energy which a

vessel possesses to right herself due to the work performed in inclining her.

Center of Gravity. The point at which all

the vertically downward forces of weight are considered to be concentrated; the center of the mass of the vessel.

Equilibrium. Vessel in a state where there is

no movement; line with B.

G must be in the same vertical

Change of Trim. The algebraic sum of the

initial trim and the trim after weight has been shifted, loaded, or discharged.

Factor of Subdivision. A number less than

1 obtained from curves of factor of subdivision which when multiplied by floodable length, produces permissible length of compartment. It is the reciprocal of the compartment standard.

Compartment Standard. The number of

compartments in any location which can be flooded up to the margin line without causing the vessel to sink. Based on a certain permeability, usually 63% for cargo spaces and 80% for machinery space.

Floodable Length. At any point of a ship,

the length of the space having its center at that point, which can be flooded without causing the ship to sink.

Couple Moment. Created by two equal

forces exerted in opposite directions and along parallel lines. In stability, the forces through G and B.

Founder. To sink due to loss of reserve

buoyancy.

Freeboard. The distance from the waterline

to the upper deck.

Crank Ship or Tender Ship. A vessel

with small metacentric height; top-heavy.

Free Surface. Condition existing when a

liquid is free to move in the tank or

compartment of a vessel. Causes a virtual rise of the ships center of gravity.

Longitudinal Stability. The tendency of a

vessel to return to its original longitudinal position.

GM. Metacentric height; distance from the

center of gravity to the transverse metacenter.

Mean Draft. That draft midway between the

draft forward and draft aft.

Heel. The transverse angle of inclination of a

vessel.

Metacenter. The highest point to which G

may rise and still permit the vessel to have positive stability. Found at the intersection of the line of action of B when the ship is erect with the line of action of B when the ship is given a small inclination.

Heeling Moment. The moment tending to

heel the vessel. Opposed by the righting moment.

Hydrostatic Curves. Curves based on the

form of the immersed portions of a vessel. They include: coefficients of fineness, TPI, displacement in salt and fresh water,

Metacentric Radius. Distance between B

and M.

MTI,

height of B and M above the keel, increase of displacement for one foot trim by the stern.

Moment. Created by a force or weight moved

through a distance.

Initial Stability. Stability of a vessel for

small angles of inclination (up to 15 deg.)

Negative Stability. Exist when G coincides

with M. The vessel does not tend to return to an upright position if inclined, nor to continue its inclination if the inclining force is removed.

Intact Buoyancy. Intact space below the

surface of a flooded area.

Inclining Experiment. Experiment which,

by inclining a vessel a few degrees, produces with the aid of a formula the metacentric height (GM) and the position of the center of gravity of a vessel.

Parallel Sinkage. Vessel increases her draft

so that the drafts forward and aft are increased by the same amount; increase of draft without change of trim.

Permeability. The percentage of the volume

of a compartment which can be occupied by water if flooded.

KB. Linear distance from the keel to the center

of buoyancy. (When vessel is upright.)

Permeability of Surface. The percentage

of the surface of a flooded compartment which is occupied by water.

KG. Height of center of gravity above keel. KM. Height of metacenter above keel. Light Displacement. Weight in long tons
of vessel a light condition.

Permissible length. The maximum length

permitted between main transverse bulkheads. Found by multiplying factor of subdivision by floodable length.

List. Transverse angle of inclination of a

vessel.

Range of Stability. The end of stability is

reached at an angle of inclination when righting arm is equal to zero. Practically, the range of stability is ended shortly after deck edge immersion in most vessels.

Load Displacement. Weight of vessel in

long tons when fully loaded.

Reserve Buoyancy. The volume of all

intact space above the waterline.

TPI. Number of tons necessary to change the

mean draft of a vessel by one inch; varies with draft.

Righting Arm. The distance between the

line of force through B and the line of force through G, when there is positive stability.

Trim. The difference between the drafts

forward and aft.

Righting Moment. The product of the

weight of the vessel (displacement) and the righting arm (GZ).

Unstable equilibrium. Exists when G is

above M. Vessel does not tend to return to an erect position after being inclined but, for small angles, tends to continue inclination.

Rolling Period. The time it takes a vessel to

make complete roll, that is, from port to starboard and back to port again.

Vertical Center of Gravity (VCG). The

vertical height of the center of gravity of a compartment above its bottom, or of the center of gravity of a vessel above its keel.

Stability. The tendency of a vessel return to

an erect position after being inclined by an exterior force.

Virtual Rise of G. Caused by the

swinging motion of water in a slack tank.

Stabilogauge. A device which automatically

calculates GM when actuators indicating weights loaded or discharged are turned.

Volume of Displacement. The volume of

water displaced by a floating object; weight of this volume of water is equal to the weight of the object.

Statical Stability Curves. Curves for

various displacements up to and past load displacement. The ordinates are angles of inclination. Intersection of ordinates with curves produces the abscissae (righting arms).

Volumetric Heeling Moment. A moment

produced by a volume acting through a distance. Units of volumetric heeling moment are in feet, or meters. If a volumetric heeling moment is divided by a stowage factor, a weight moment will be produced, as done in the practice of stability calculation for bulk grain.

Stable Equilibrium. Exists when M is

above G. A vessel will tend to return to an erect position if inclined to a small angle.

Water Plane. The plane defined by the

intersection of the water in which a vessel is floating with the vessel sides.

Stiff Ship. Vessel with low center of gravity

and large metacentric height.

Synchronous Rolling. Occurs when the

rolling period of the vessel is the same as the wave period; a condition to be avoided.

Water Plane Coefficient. A coefficient of

fineness which expresses the relationship between the area of the water plane and a rectangle having the length and breadth of the vessel at that water plane.

TCG. Transverse position of center of gravity.