Configuration of a Towline Attached to a Vehicle Moving in a Circular Path

The problem of predicting the steady-state performance of a cable-body system towed in a circular path is studied analytically. Equations governing the steady-state configuration of the towline, distribution of the tension along the towline, and the location of the towed body are derived. Hydrodynamic forces accounted for in the analysis are the buoyancy, the side force, the added-mass effect as well as the dominant fluid resistance. The present model can be applied to both aerial and underwater towed systems. The analytical model is evaluated by comparison of its predictions with limited data of laboratory tests. Numerical solutions are obtained for the case of underwater towing of sperical bodies. Based on these results, some remarks on the operational aspects of the underwater towing are presented.