Instruction Manual: Equipment For Engineering Education

Equipment for Engineering Education
Instruction Manual
HM150.39 Stability of a Floating
Body - Additional Bodies
G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH

P. O. Box 1125
D-22881 Barsbttel Germany
Phone (040) 670854-0
Fax
(040) 670854-42
Metacentric Height Alternative
All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany
04/01
HM150.39
Instruction Manual
Please read and follow the instructions before the first installation!
Publication-No.:
917.000 39 A 150 12
04/01
HM150.39
Table of Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Unit description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
04/01
3.1
Buoyancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.2
Stability of floating body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.3
Determination of metacentre position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.1
Calculation of centre of gravity position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
HM150.39
Introduction
The position of the so-called metacentre, the
metacentric height, is of crucial significance to the
stability of a floating body.
The metacentric height is an essential factor when
assessing the stability of a ship in waves.
04/01
The Metacentric Height Alternative HM 150.39

permits concepts such as
Buoyancy
Centre of gravity
Centre of buoyancy
Metacentre
Heel
to be experimentally investigated.
Fig. 1.1
Heeling of a ship
1 Introduction
The apparatus is of simple, clear design and is

particularly suitable for practical work in small
groups.
HM150.39
Unit description
6
7
04/01
Fig. 2.1
Side and front view
Profiles of pontoons:
The unit essentially consists of two different

pontoons (1).
The pontoons are fitted with a vertical sliding
weight (2) to permit adjustment of the height of the
centre of gravity and a horizontal sliding weight (3)
to generate a defined heeling moment. The sliding
weights can be fixed in position using knurled
screws.
The positions (4, 5) of the sliding weights and the
draught (6) of the pontoon can be read off scales.
A heel indicator (7) with scale in degrees is also
provided.
2 Unit description
HM150.39
Theory
3.1
Buoyancy
A body floats in a liquid if the buoyancy of the fully

immersed body is greater than its weight. It will
only sink into the liquid until the buoyancy FA
corresponds exactly to its dead weight FG. The
buoyancy is then the weight of the water displaced
by the body. The centre of gravity of the displaced
water mass is referred to as the centre of buoyancy
A. The centre of gravity of the body is known as
the centre of mass S.
FG
04/01
FA
Fig. 3.1
Buoyancy
3.2
Stability of floating body
MA
M
zm
S
FG
FA
Of far greater importance is the existence of a

stabilising, resetting moment in the event of
deflection or heel out of the equilibrium position

(Fig.:3.2). Dead weight FG and buoyancy FA then
form a force couple with distance b, which provides
a righting moment. This distance or the distance
between the centre of gravity and the point of
intersection of line of action of buoyancy and
gravity axis, is a measure of stability. This point of
intersection is referred to as the metacentre M and
the distance between the centre of gravity and the
metacentre is called the metacentric height zm.
b
Fig. 3.2
3 Theory
For a floating body to be stable, buoyancy FA and

dead weight FG must have the same line of action
and be equal and opposite (Fig.:3.1). Stability does
not necessarily demand that the centre of mass
S be below the centre of buoyancy A.
Metacentre and
metacentric height
HM150.39
The following conditions then apply to stable

floating:
zm > 0
S
A
Stable floating of a body occurs when the

m e t a centric height zm is positive, i.e. the
metacentre M is above the centre of gravity
S (Fig. 3.3, top).
zm > 0
04/01
stable
zm < 0
M
A
Unstable floating of a body occurs when the

metacentric height zm is negative, i.e. the
metacentre M is below the centre of gravity S
(Fig.3.3, bottom).
zm < 0
unstable
Fig. 3.3
Metacentre and
stability
3.3
Determination of metacentre position

The position of the metacentre is not governed by
the position of the centre of gravity. It merely
depends on the shape of the portion of the body
under water and the displacement. There are two
methods of determining the position by way of
experiment.
In the first method, the centre of gravity is laterally
shifted by a certain constant distance xs using an
additional weight, thus causing heeling to occur.
Further vertical shifting of the centre of gravity
alters the heel . A stability gradient formed from
3 Theory
Vertical centre of gravity position zs
HM150.39
the derivation
Metacentre M
04/01
Measured values
Stability gradient
Fig. 3.4
d xs
d
Graphical determination of
metacentre
zm
FG
S
xs
A
FA
Fig. 3.5
Theoretical determination of
metacentric height
d xs
d
is then defined. The stability
gradient decreases as the vertical centre of gravity

position approaches the metacentre. If centre of
gravity position and metacentre coincide, the
stability gradient is equal to zero and the system
is metastable.
This problem is most easily solved using a graph
(Fig. 3.4). The vertical centre of gravity position is
plotted versus the stability gradient. A curve is
drawn through the measurement points and
extended as far as the vertical axis
d xs
=0
d
. The
point of intersection with the vertical axis then gives

the position of the metacentre.
With the second method of determining the

metac entre, it is assumed that, given a stable
heel position, dead weight FG and buoyancy FA
have one line of action. The point of intersection
of this line of action with the central axis gives
the metacentre M (Fig. 3.5). The heel angle
and the lateral displacement of the centre of
gravity xs yield the following for the metacentric
height zm
zm = xs cot
3 Theory
HM150.39
Experiments
4.1
Calculation of centre of gravity position

mv = 550g
x
z
The horizontal position is referenced to the centre

line:
Centre of gravity
position without
vertical sliding weight
zg = 8.08cm
04/01
mh = 193g
The first step is to determine the position of the

overall centre of gravity xs, zs from the set position
of the sliding weights. The example is calculated
with the datas of the pontoon with the form of a
ship.
Total weight not including sliding weight mv

m = 3594g
xs =
m + mv + mh
= 0.0445 x .
The vertical position is referenced to the underside

of the floating body:
zs =
Fig. 4.1
mh x
mv z + m zg + mh zh
m + mv + mh
Position and size of

sliding weights
= 7.114 + 0.127 z.
zh = 9.4 cm = konstant
Stability gradient:
d xs
xs
In the same way it is possible to determine the

position of overall centre of gravity of the pontoon
with the form of a half circle.
The data of the centre of gravityof the pontoons
are written in the chapter technical data.
4 Experiments
HM150.39
Technical data
Floating body
Length:
Width:
Height of sides:
Overall height
310
200
120
274
mm
mm
mm
mm
04/01
Weights
Floating body not including sliding weights:
Ship
3594 g
Half Circle
2522 g
Vertical sliding weight
550 g
Horizontal sliding weight
193 g
Centre of gravity position without sliding weights:
Ship
xs (from centre)
zs (from underside)
0.00
80.8
mm
mm
0.00
50.94
mm
mm
Half Circle
xs (from centre)
zs (from underside)
5 Technical data

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How does buoyancy affect the stability of a floating body?

How does buoyancy affect the stability of a floating body?

What factors determine the position of a floating body's metacentre?

What factors determine the position of a floating body's metacentre?

Equipment for Engineering Education

G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH

Metacentric Height Alternative

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Metacentric Height Alternative

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Stability of floating body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Determination of metacentre position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Calculation of centre of gravity position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Metacentric Height Alternative

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

The Metacentric Height Alternative HM 150.39

The apparatus is of simple, clear design and is

Metacentric Height Alternative

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Side and front view

The unit essentially consists of two different

Metacentric Height Alternative

A body floats in a liquid if the buoyancy of the fully

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Stability of floating body

Of far greater importance is the existence of a

deflection or heel out of the equilibrium position

For a floating body to be stable, buoyancy FA and

Metacentric Height Alternative

The following conditions then apply to stable

Stable floating of a body occurs when the

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Unstable floating of a body occurs when the

Determination of metacentre position

Vertical centre of gravity position zs

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

Metacentric Height Alternative

is then defined. The stability

gradient decreases as the vertical centre of gravity

point of intersection with the vertical axis then gives

With the second method of determining the

Metacentric Height Alternative

Calculation of centre of gravity position

The horizontal position is referenced to the centre

The first step is to determine the position of the

Total weight not including sliding weight mv

The vertical position is referenced to the underside

Position and size of

In the same way it is possible to determine the

Metacentric Height Alternative

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel, Germany

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