Research on the resistance and maneuvering characteristics of an amphibious transport vehicle and the influence of stern hydrofoil

Abstract

Research on the resistance and maneuvering characteristics is a key requirement in amphibious vehicle design to ensure safety and efficiency. To tackle the challenges of evaluating amphibious vehicles' hydrodynamic performance, as well as the lack of research and systematic approaches, a comprehensive performance evaluation method based on the RANS method and MMG model is introduced in this study, and the influence of a stern hydrofoil is evaluated. Firstly, the numerical calculation model is established based on the RANS method and validated by towing tests. The resistance characteristics of vehicles with and without stern hydrofoil are evaluated. The hydrofoil has a 9.37% drag reduction rate under the rated condition. Then, the static drift tests, circular motion tests, and static heel tests are simulated to obtain vehicles' hydrodynamic coefficients. Subsequently, the four-degree-of-freedom MMG models are established to predict the vehicles’ maneuvering performance and evaluate the effect of stern hydrofoil. The results obtained from CFD and predictions are compared, confirming the capability of the MMG model. The stern hydrofoil can improve turning performance but affects course-keeping and yaw-checking abilities.