Actuator and control design for fast ferry using seasickness criteria

Abstract

Along our research on increasing the passengers comfort in fast ferries by using moving actuators, frequency domain models to predict seasickness caused by ship motions in different seas states, have been established. Seasickness can be alleviated by a correct control of the moving actuators, in this case flaps, fins and T-foil. The capability of seasickness prediction based on models are useful for actuator and control design focusing on minimizing seasickness. In particular, there is a frequency band where the actuation should intervene; while there are other ship motion frequencies with much less impact on seasickness, so actuators work is not needed and can be saved. The paper is devoted to actuator and control design based on seasickness models. This study considers in particular the effect of actuator area and position on seasickness alleviation. The control design turns out to be nonlinear, due to saturations. A particular actuator and control design example is studied in detail.