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Chapter 02 - Form Coefficients

1. Form coefficients are ratios that compare a ship's underwater form to regular geometric shapes of the same dimensions. They are used early in design to predict factors like resistance and estimate power needs. 2. Key form coefficients discussed are: the coefficient of fineness of the waterplane area (CW), block coefficient (CB), midships coefficient (CM), and longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP). 3. CW, CB, CM, and CP are all less than 1, as a ship's underwater areas/volumes are less than their containing geometric shapes. Examples are provided to demonstrate calculating each coefficient.

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237 views5 pages

Chapter 02 - Form Coefficients

1. Form coefficients are ratios that compare a ship's underwater form to regular geometric shapes of the same dimensions. They are used early in design to predict factors like resistance and estimate power needs. 2. Key form coefficients discussed are: the coefficient of fineness of the waterplane area (CW), block coefficient (CB), midships coefficient (CM), and longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP). 3. CW, CB, CM, and CP are all less than 1, as a ship's underwater areas/volumes are less than their containing geometric shapes. Examples are provided to demonstrate calculating each coefficient.

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Adrian B.
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SECTION 2 - FORM COEFFICIENTS

INTRODUCTION

Form coefficients are ratios that numerically compare the ship’s underwater form to that of
regular shapes having the same major dimensions as the ship.

They are primarily used at the design stage, prior to construction, to predict factors such as
resistance to forward motion that the ship will experience during operation. Such information
is then used to estimate the ship’s power requirements for the desired service speed. 

Block coefficient is a ratio that is considered in the calculation and assignment of a ship’s
freeboard.

Learning Objectives

On completion of this section the learner will achieve the following:

1. Understand the term Coefficient of fineness of the water-plane area (CW).  

2. Understand the term Block coefficient (CB).  


3. Understand the term Midships coefficient (CM).  

4. Understand the term Longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP).  

5. Complete simple calculations on (1) to (4) above.

2.1 COEFFICIENT OF FINENESS OF THE WATERPLANE AREA (C W)

Is defined as the ratio of the ship’s water-plane area (WPA) to the area of a rectangle having
the same length (L) and breadth (B) of the ship at the waterline in question.
 Since the ship’s WPA is less in area than the rectangle formed around it, the value of CW
must always be less than 1.00.

Example 1
A ship has a length and breadth at the waterline of 40.1 m and 8.6 m respectively. If the
water-plane area is 280 m2 calculate the coefficient of fineness of the water-plane area (C W).

Solution

Cw = WPA = 280 =0.812 


L×B 40.1 × 8.2

Note that the answer has no units; it is simply a comparison of one area to another!

2.2 BLOCK COEFFICIENT (CB)

The block coefficient (CB) of a ship is the ratio of the underwater volume of a ship to the
volume of the circumscribing block.

Therefore:

Since the ship’s volume of displacement is less than the volume of displacement of the
surrounding block, the value of CB must always be less than 1.00.

 
Example 2
A ship floats at a draught of 3.20 m and has a waterline length and breadth of 46.3 m and
15.5 m respectively. Calculate the block coefficient (C B) if its volume of displacement is 1800
m3.

Solution
                                CB = Volume of displacement = 1800  
                                                        L ×B × d 46.3 × 15.5 × 3.2

                                CB = 0.784

 Example 3
A ship has length 200 m and breadth 18 m at the waterline. If the ship floats at an even keel
draught of 7.56 m in water RD 1.012 and the block coefficient is 0.824 calculate the
displacement.

Solution
  Displacement = Volume of displacement ´ Density

\ Displacement = (Length ´ Breadth ´ draught ´ CB) ´ Density

\ Displacement = (200 ´ 18 ´ 7.56 ´ 0.824) ´ 1.012 = 22695 t

2.3 MIDSHIPS AREA COEFFICIENT (CM)

The midships coefficient (CM) of a ship at any draught is the ratio of the underwater transverse
area of the midships section to the product of the breadth and draught (the surrounding
rectangle).
Similarly, the value of CM must always be less than 1.00.

This coefficient may be used to determine the prismatic coefficient (CP).

Example 4
A ship floats at a draught of 4.40 m and has a waterline breadth of 12.70 m. Calculate the
underwater transverse area of the midships section if CM is 0.922.

Solution
                        CM = Am
                                     B × d

                        0.922 = Am      


                                       12.70 × 4.40

                        0.922 = Am  


                                            55.88

                        0.922 × 55.88 = Am = 51.521 m2

2.4 LONGITUDINAL PRISMATIC COEFFICIENT (CP)

The longitudinal prismatic coefficient (CP) of a ship at any draught is the ratio of the
underwater volume of the ship to the volume of the prism formed by the product of the
transverse area of the midships section and the waterline length
This coefficient gives an indication of how much the ship’s form changes at the ends.
Similarly, the value of CP must always be less than 1.00.

Example 5
A ship has the following details:

Draught 3.63 m;
                                            Waterline length 48.38 m;
                                            Waterline breadth 9.42 m;
                                           Cm 0.946;
                                            Cp
0.778. 

Calculate the volume of displacement.

Solution
The formulae are:

            Cm = Am Cp=Volumeofdisplacement
  B×d L × Am

Starting with:
            Cm = Am  0.946 = Am       
B×d 9.42 × 3.63

            Am = 0.946 × 9.42 ×3.63= 32.348 m2 and;

            Cp = Vol. of displacement 0.778 = Vol. of displacement


                                L × Am 48.38 × 32.348

Vol. of displacement = 0.778 × 48.38 × 32.348 = 1217.6 m3

It should be noted that for most courses only knowledge of the Coefficient of fineness of the
water-plane area (CW) and the Block coefficient (CB) is required.

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