Damage Control Training

Stability and Buoyancy Lessons

LESSON TOPIC: 4.1 TITLE: PRINCIPLES OF STABILITY
Contact periods allotted this LESSON TOPIC:
Classroom: 2.5 Test: 0.0
Trainer: 0.5 Total: 3.0
MEDIA: Classroom lecture with visual media, FFG-7 Stability
Trainer
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES:
6.0 EVALUATE shipboard stability by analyzing weight and moment
considerations. (JTI 3.2.1, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2)
ENABLING OBJECTIVES:
6.1 DESCRIBE the reference points, forces, and linear measurements
used in stability calculations.
6.2 DESCRIBE the movement of stability reference points as a function
of changes in displacement and inclination.
6.3 DIFFERENTIATE between indicators of initial stability and
measures of overall stability as a function of ships displacement.
6.4 IDENTIFY and DESCRIBE the uses of various types of external hull
markings.
6.5 Given a draft diagram/functions of form and a set of draft
readings, CALCULATE displacement (WF), tons per inch immersion (TPI),
and moment to trim one inch (MT1").
6.6 Given cross curves of stability and the ship's displacement,
CONSTRUCT an uncorrected, statical stability curve.

FUNDAMENTALS OF STABILITY
Stability is the tendency of a vessel to rotate one way or the other when
forcibly inclined. Stability can be broken down into several categories, each
of which are alternatively emphasized in designing and operating Navy and
Coast Guard ships.

STABILITY

INITIAL STABILITY - The stability of a ship in the range from 0 to

7/10 of inclination.

OVERALL STABILITY - A general measure of a ship's ability to resist

capsizing in a given condition of loading.

DYNAMIC STABILITY - The work done in heeling a ship to a given angle

of heel.

THE LAWS OF BUOYANCY

1. Floating objects possess the property of buoyancy.
2. A floating body displaces a volume of water equal in
weight to the weight of the body.
3. A body immersed (or floating) in water will be buoyed up
by a force equal to the weight of the water displaced.

EXAMPLE OF GRAVITY -VS- BUOYANCY

1 ton of steel 1 ton of steel

If the cube of steel is placed in water it sinks. There is not enough
displaced volume for the forces of buoyancy to act upon. If the ships hull
is placed in the water it will float. The larger volume of the ship's hull
allows the forces of buoyancy to support the hull's weight.
The ship's hull will sink to a draft where the forces of buoyancy and the
forces of gravity are equal.

DISPLACEMENT

The weight of the volume of water that is displaced by the underwater portion
of the hull is equal to the weight of the ship. This is known as a ship's
displacement. The unit of measurement for displacement is the Long Ton (1 LT
= 2240 LBS).

GRAVITY
The force of gravity acts vertically downward through the ship's center of
gravity. The magnitude of the force depends on the ship's total weight.

UNITS OF MEASURE
Force: A push or pull that tends to produce motion or a
change in motion. Units: tons, pounds, Newtons, etc.
Parallel forces may be mathematically summed to produce one
"Net Force" considered to act through one point.
Weight: The force of gravity acting on a body. This force
acts towards the center of the earth. Units: tons, pounds,
kilograms, etc.
Moment: The tendency of a force to produce a rotation about a
pivot point. This works like a torque wrench acting on a
bolt. Units: foot tons, Newton meters, etc.

Volume: The number of cubic units in an object. Units: Cubic

feet (FT3), cubic inches, etc. The volume of any compartment
onboard a ship can be found using the equation:

Specific The specific volume of a fluid is its volume per unit

Volume: weight. Units: cubic feet per ton (FT3/LT). The
specific volume of liquids (NSTM 096 Table 096-1) used most
frequently in this unit are:

Salt Water = 35 FT3/LT

Fresh Water = 36 FT3/LT
Diesel Fuel = 43 FT3/LT

CALCULATING THE WEIGHT OF FLOODING WATER

A compartment has the following dimensions:
Length = 20 FT Flooded with salt
Breadth = 20 FT water to a depth
Height = 8 FT of 6 FT
1. First, calculate the volume of water that has been added to the
compartment.
Volume = Length x Breadth x Depth of Flooding Water
= 20 FT x 20 FT x 6 FT
= 2400 FT3
2. Second, divide the volume of water by its specific volume.

STABILITY REFERENCE POINTS

M - Metacenter

G - Center of Gravity

B - Center of Buoyancy

K - Keel
K - Keel: The base line reference point from which all other
reference point measurements are compared.

B - Center of Buoyancy: The

geometric center of the ship's
underwater hull body. It is the
point at which all the forces of
buoyancy may be considered to
act in a vertically upward
direction.

The Center of Buoyancy will move as the shape of the underwater portion of
the hull body changes. When the ship rolls to starboard, "B" moves to
starboard, and when the ship rolls to port, "B" moves to port.

When the ship's hull is made heavier, the drafts increase as the ship sits
deeper in the water. "B" will move up.

When the ship's hull is lightened, the drafts decrease as the ship sits
shallower in the water. "B" will move down.

** The Center of Buoyancy moves

in the same direction as the
ships waterline. **

G - Center of Gravity: The

point at which all forces of
gravity acting on the ship can
be considered to act. "G" is
the center of mass of the
vessel. The position of "G" is
dependent upon the
distribution of weights within
the ship. As the distribution
of weights is altered, the
position of "G" will react as
follows:

1. "G" moves towards a weight addition

2. "G" moves away from a weight removal
3. "G" moves in the same direction as a weight shift

M - Metacenter: As the ship is

inclined through small angles

of heel, the lines of buoyant

force intersect at a point
called the metacenter.
As the ship is inclined, the
center of buoyancy moves in an
arc as it continues to seek
the geometric center of the
underwater hull body. This arc
describes
the
metacentric
radius.

As the ship continues to heel

in excess of 7-10 degrees, the
metacenter will move as shown.

The position of the metacenter is a function of the position of the center of

buoyancy, thus a function of the displacement of the ship. The position of
"M" moves as follows:

As the Center of Buoyancy moves up, the

Metacenter moves down.
As the Center of Buoyancy moves down, the
Metacenter moves up.

LINEAR MEASUREMENTS IN STABILITY

KG

- Height of the ships Center of

measurement is found in section II(a)
conditions of loading. To find "KG" for
those in the DC Book, calculations must

Gravity the above Keel: This

of the DC Book for several
loading conditions other than
be performed.

KM

- Height of Metacenter above the Keel: This measurement is found

by using the Draft Diagram and Functions of Form Curves located in
section II(a) of the DC Book.

GM

- Metacentric Height: This measurement is calculated by

subtracting KG from KM (GM = KM - KG). GM is a measure of the ship's
initial stability.

BM

- Metacentric Radius: The distance between the Center of Buoyancy

and the Metacenter. It is actually the radius of the circle for the
movements of "B" at small angles of heel.

THE STABILITY TRIANGLE

When a ship is inclined, the center of buoyancy shifts off centerline while
the center of gravity remains in the same location. Since the forces of
buoyancy and gravity are equal and act along parallel lines, but in opposite
directions, a rotation is developed. This is called a couple, two moments
acting simultaneously to produce rotation. This rotation returns the ship to
where the forces of buoyancy and gravity balance out.

The distance between the forces of buoyancy and gravity is known as the
ships righting arm. As shown above, the righting arm is a perpendicular line
drawn from the center of gravity to the point of intersection on the force of
buoyancy line.
For small angles of heel (0o through 7o to 10o, metacenter doesnt move), the
value for the ships righting arm (GZ) may be found by using trigonometry:

Using the Sine function to solve for the righting arm:

With initial stability (0o to 7o-10o) the metacenter does not move, and the
Sine function is almost linear (a straight line.) Therefore, the size of the
ships Righting Arm, GZ, is directly proportional to the size of the ships
Metacentric Height, GM. Thus, GM is a good measure of the ships initial
stability.

RIGHTING MOMENT (RM)

The Righting Moment is the best measure of a ship's overall stability. It
describes the ship's true tendency to resist inclination and return to
equilibrium. The Righting Moment is equal to the ships Righting Arm
multiplied by the ships displacement.

Example:
A destroyer displaces 6000 LT and has a righting arm of 2.4 FT when inclined
to 40 degrees. What is the ships Righting Moment?

RM = 2.4 FT x 6000 LT
RM = 14,400 FT-Tons (pronounced "foot tons")

STABILITY CONDITIONS
The positions of Gravity and the Metacenter will indicate the initial
stability of a ship. Following damage, the ship will assume one of the
following three stability conditions:

POSITIVE STABILITY
The metacenter is located above
the ships center of gravity. As
the ship is inclined, Righting
Arms are created which tend to
return the ship to its original,
vertical position.

NEUTRAL STABILITY
The metacenter and the ships
center of gravity are in the same
location. As the ship is inclined,
no Righting Arms are created.
(until the metacenter starts to
move after the ship is inclined
past 7o-10o)

NEGATIVE STABILITY
The ships center of gravity is
located above the metacenter. As
the ship is inclined, negative
Righting Arms (called upsetting
arms) are created which tend to
capsize the ship.

STATICAL STABILITY CURVE (RIGHTING ARM CURVE)

When a ship is inclined through all angles of heel, and the righting arm for
each angle is measured, the statical stability curve is produced. This curve
is a "snapshot" of the ship's stability at that particular loading condition.

Much information can be obtained from this curve, including:

Range of Stability: This ship will generate Righting Arms when inclined from
0o to approximately 74o. (This curve usually assumes that the entire
superstructure is watertight.)
Maximum Righting Arm: The largest separation between the forces of buoyancy
and gravity. This is where the ship exerts the most energy to right itself.
Angle of Maximum Righting Arm: The angle of inclination where the maximum
Righting Arm occurs.
Danger Angle: One half the angle of the maximum Righting Arm.

SHIP'S HULL MARKINGS

Calculative Draft Marks

Used for determining displacement and other properties of the ship for
stability and damage control. These draft marks indicate the depth of the
keel (baseline) below the waterline.
Two possible marking systems:
a. Roman numerals 3" in height (prior to 1972)
b. Arabic numerals 6" in height

Navigational Draft Marks

Ships operating drafts. These draft
projections below the keel of the ship.

marks

include

the

depth

of

any

a. Arabic numerals 6" in height

Limiting Draft Marks

"...installed on those ships whose limiting displacements are known. As
limiting displacements are determined, such markings will be installed. If
such drafts are exceeded, it means jeopardizing the ship's ability to survive
damage or heavy weather." (NSTM 079 - 14.26)
Limiting drafts are assigned to maintain reserve buoyancy (freeboard) prior
to damage, and to prevent excessive hull stresses as a result of overloading.

Plimsoll Marks (Load lines)

Markings of minimum allowable freeboard for registered cargo-carrying ships.
Located amidships on both the port and starboard sides the ship.
Since the required minimum freeboard varies with water density and severity
of weather, different markings are used for:
- TF - Tropical Fresh Water
- F - Fresh Water
- T - Tropical Water (sea water)
- S - Standard Summer
- W - Winter
- WNA - Winter North Atlantic

DRAFT DIAGRAM AND FUNCTIONS OF FORM

The Draft Diagram is a nomogram located in section II(a) of the Damage
Control Book. Each ship platform will have its own Draft Diagram and it may
vary between individual ships. It is used for determining the ships
displacement, as well as other properties of the ship, including:

- Moment to Trim One Inch (MT1")

- Tons per Inch Immersion (TPI)
- Height of Metacenter (KM)
- Longitudinal Center of Flotation (LCF)
- Longitudinal Center of Buoyancy (LCB)

Instructions for use:

1. Draw a straight line (LINE #1) between the ship's forward
and aft draft readings (use calculative drafts)
2. Where LINE #1 intersects the Displacement Curve is the
ship's displacement at those given drafts.
3. Draw a horizontal line (LINE #2) through the ship's
displacement. (Hint: When the forward and aft drafts are
equal, the line is horizontal)
4. MT1", TPI, KM, and LCB are determined using LINE #2.
5. Draw a vertical line (LINE #3) through the ship's
displacement (There is no way to ensure this line is vertical
- just eyeball it.)
6. Where LINE #3 intersects the LCF Curve is the ship's LCF
for the given drafts.

Example:
FFG-21 has the following drafts: Forward: 14'0" Aft: 15'6"

Find: 1. Ship's Displacement: 3600 LT

2. KM: 22.37 FT
3. MT1": 758 FT-Ton per Inch
4. TPI: 32.2 LT per Inch
5. LCB: 2.1 FT Aft of Midships
6. LCF: 24 FT Aft of Midships

CROSS CURVES OF STABILITY

The Cross Curves Of Stability are used to determine the length of the
righting arm at any angle of inclination for a given displacement. Using the
ship's displacement (from the Draft Diagram and Functions of Form) a statical
stability curve for the ship can be constructed.

Instructions for use:

1. Enter the ships displacement along the horizontal axis.
2. Draw a vertical line at the ship's displacement. (Hint:
"tick marks" are located along the top of the curve to assist
in drawing this vertical line)
3. The displacement line will cross each "angle of
inclination" curve at various points.
4. The righting arm for each angle of inclination is read
along the vertical axis (left side).
5. Each righting arm is plotted at the corresponding angle of
inclination on the "Statical Stability Curve Plotting Sheet"
or on regular graph paper.