Development of a High-Capacity, High-Speed Sealift Hullform

Abstract

Abstract : Sealift vessels are responsible for transporting the bulk of military equipment and vehicles overseas. The aim of this research is to develop a hull capable of reaching an austere destination at high speed while maintaining the high capacity of a sealift ship. A hull form with short longitudinal effective length will generate a high Froude number, of approximately 0.7, at the desired cruise velocity. Theoretically, the wake and frictional resistances will be reduced as a result. To achieve the large displacement of a useful sealift vessel, the hull of the ship will sweep out and back from the centerline of the ship so as to maintain the short longitudinal effective length while maintaining an efficient bow form. Additionally, this design must be capable of landing at an austere port. The austere port is a hypothetical landing site of limited accommodations; superimposing limits on the length, beam, and draft of the vessels landing within it. This research seeks to develop a virtual hull with the eventual goal of model testing. The virtual model will be put through hydrodynamic testing as appropriate for a conceptual ship design at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD).