Circular motion tests and uncertainty analysis for ship maneuverability

Circular motion test data and uncertainty analysis results of investigations of the hydrodynamic characteristics of ship maneuvering are presented. The model ships used were a container ship and two tankers, and the measured items were the surge and sway forces, yaw moment, propeller thrust, rudder normal and tangential forces, pitch and roll angles, and heave. The test parameters were the oblique angle and yaw rate for the conditions of a hull with a rudder and propeller in which the rudder angle was set to zero and the propeller speed was set to the model self-propulsion conditions. Carriage data showing the accuracy of the towing conditions in the circular motion test are also presented. It was confirmed that the uncertainties in the hydrodynamic forces such as the surge and sway forces, yaw moment, rudder tangential and normal forces, and propeller thrust were fairly small. The reported uncertainty analysis results of the circular motion test data may be beneficial in validating data quality and in discussing reliability for simulation of ship maneuvering performance.