Rolling of a transport barge in irregular seas, a comparison of motion analyses and model tests

Abstract

With sea transport of heavy objects in focus, model tests of a barge in irregular waves have been performed. Securing the transported object to the deck of the barge is of vital importance, and an optimum load level to be used in the structural design is desirable. The aim is to investigate methods for predictions of barge roll motion and related sea fastening forces. Response from linear and non-linear numerical analyses is compared with results of model tests. It is found that the numerical analyses give slightly conservative results, and that the nonlinear time-domain analyses gives only marginally more accurate results than the linear frequency domain method.