Relations Document

Block coefficient CB

T=
draft

The block coefficient of a ship is the ratio of the underwater volume of ship to the
volume of a rectangular block having the same overall length, breadth and depth.
Extreme dimensions of the ship's hull at this draft are
Length 'L' and Beam 'B'.
Here we have a box of length 'L', Width 'B' and Draft 'T', the ship's underwater area
at this draft would exactly fit this box.
Now the ship's block coefficient at this draft (CB) would be
∇
CB = Displacement of the ship / L x B x T =
𝐿×𝐵×𝑇
As all these factors would change with the change in draft, CB would also change
with change of ship's draft.
MIDSHIP SECTION COEFFICIENT (Cm)

The midship section coefficient (Cm) is the ratio of the area of the immersed midship
section (Am) at a particular draft to that of a rectangle of the same draft and breadth
as the ship:

𝐴𝑀
CM= AM / B x T =
𝐵×𝑇
Where,

Am = area of the immersed portion of the midships section, [m2]

B = beam, usually taken at the waterline, [m]

T = draft, [m]

T=
draft
WATERPLANE AREA COEFFICIENT (Cw)

The waterplane area coefficient (Cw) is the waterplane area divided by the length x
the breadth. So,

A𝑊𝐿
CW = Aw/L x B =
𝐿×𝐵
Where,

CW = Waterplane Area (m2)

L = Length (m)

B= Breadth (m)

THE PRISMATIC COEFFICIENT (Cp)

The prismatic coefficient (Cp) is the underwater area, divided by the area of a
midship section, times the length of the ship.

It is an indication of hull fineness, and may be broken down into fore & aft
components.

This formula can be written as

∇
Cp = ∇/Am x L=
𝐴𝑀 ×𝐿

where,

∇ = immersed volume, [m3]

Am = area of the immersed portion of the midships section, [m2 ]

L= length between perpendiculars, [m]

We Know that,

∇ =Cb x L x B x T and

Am= Cm x B x T,

Cp = ∇/Am.L

𝐶𝐵 𝐿𝐵𝑇 𝐶𝐵
Cp= =
𝐶𝑀 𝐵𝑇𝐿 𝐶𝑀

Some typical values are presented in the table below

Stability
“Stability is the tendency or ability of the ship to return to upright when displaced
from the upright position. A ship with a strong tendency to return to upright is
regarded as a stable vessel.”

Consider the ship floats upright in stable condition as shown in above.

The weight of the ship equals its displacement and the centre of buoyancy is directly
below the centre of gravity.
When the ship is exerted an external force, the centre of buoyancy being centre of
underwater volume moves to the right (or left). The line of action of buoyancy
vertically upward crosses the original centreline at the metacentre, M. Since G does
not move, a moment is generated to turn the ship back to its original position. This
moment is called the returning moment. In this case, M was originally above G and
we can see that the returning moment is positive. If M was below G i.e. GM negative,
the returning moment will be negative hence the ship is unstable. If M is at G, then
the ship is neutrally stable. Righting moment is the real indication of stability i.e. the
ability of the ship to return to oppose any capsizing moment and return the ship to
upright position. The larger the righting moment, the better stability is.
 KMT= KB + BMT
KMT= KG + GMT

K denotes the keel. B is the position of the transverse centre of buoyancy usually just
called the centre of buoyancy. G is the position of the transverse centre of gravity. M
is the metacentre.
KB is the height of the vertical centre of buoyancy above the keel. It can be obtained
from the hydrostatics of the ship
BM is a function of hull geometry and is calculated by the following formula

where ICL is the second moment of area of the waterplane about the centre line and
∇ denotes the displacement volume of the ship at that loading condition.

Stability at Small Angles of Heel

The stability of a vessel is measured by GZ.

GZ = GM sin θ
Determining Centre of Gravity, Areas or Volumes of Composite
Bodies

Consider a composite body consisting of two portions shown in

Effects of Adding, Removing and Shifting Weights on Stability
1. The centre of gravity moves towards an added weight.
2. The centre of gravity moves away from a discharged weight.
3. The centre of gravity moves parallel to the movement of a weight that is already
on board.
4. When a weight is suspended from a boom, the effect is as though the weight was
situated at the point of suspension, that is, the head of the boom.

The effect of shifting weights may be also be calculated in a similar way. In this case
the new position of the centre of gravity from the keel is given as
As shown in Figure below, a mass is moved transversely across the deck through a
known distance, d. As the mass, m is moved, the centre of gravity moves from G to
G1. This movement can be calculated as

At the same time the ship will be inclined through some angle of θ and will be in a
position of a stable equilibrium. The centre of buoyancy, B will have to move to B1 so
as to be in the same vertical line as G1. GG1 is parallel to the movement of the
weight and hence the angle G1GM is a right angle. Thus, we have

Substituting GG1 into previous Equation and re-arranging the equation we obtain

Also,
NM102 – Exercises
Exercise
A cuboid shaped wooden block with dimensions of L: 1.45m B: 0.5m D: 0.25m floats
in water.
If the block weighs 0.154 tonnes, find its draught if it floats in freshwater density 1.00
tonne/m3.
Solution:
The weight of the block of 0.154 tonnes must be supported by displaced water i.e.
the block must displace 0.154 tonnes of water:
In fresh water,
Volume of displaced water
= L x B x T
Weight of displaced water
= x FW
= 1.45 x 0.5 x T x FW
This must equal 0.154 tonne
1.45 x 0.5 x T x fw= 0.154 tonnes
T = 0.212 m

Exercise 1.1
Do similar calculations for salt water (density 1025 kg/m3and oil density 0.85
tonne/m3)

Exercise 2
A box barge length 100m breadth 20m floats at a draught of 5m in sea water 1.025
tonne/m3. Find its weight.

Solution
While floating in sea water density 1.025 tonne/m3:
Volume Displacement = = L x B x T Weight of barge =Weight displacement,
W== x salt water= 100 x 20 x 5 x 1.025= 10250 tonnes

Exercise 3
A block of wood length 5m, breadth 0.5m and depth 0.2m is floating in seawater at a
draught of 0.1m.
Find the weight of the block.

Exercise 4
Find the new draught of the box in example 3 when it goes into river, water density
1.000 tonne/m3. Also find a new draught if it is in sea water with density 1.100
tonne/m3.

Exercise 5
A cylindrical tank diameter 0.6m and mass 200kg floats with its axis vertical. Find its
present draught in oil (= 0.95 tonne/m3). Find the weight of cargo to be added to
ensure it will float at a draught of 0.85m

Exercise 6
Find the area of the waterplane of a ship 200 meters long, 30 meters beam, which
has a coefficient of fineness of 0.800?

Solution:
Area of waterplane = L x B x Cw
Area of waterplane = 200 x 30 x 0.8
Aw = 4800 m2

Exercise 7
A box 2m x 1m (LxB) in sea water is floating at a draught of 0.3m.
Calculate its , , CB,CW Pand TPC.

Solution:
= L x B x T = 2 x 1 x 0.3 = 0.6m3
ii. = L x B x T x = x = 0.6 x 1.025 = 0.615 tonnes
iii. CB = /LBT = 0.6 / 0.6= 1.00
iv. CWP = Awp/LxB = 2 x 1/2x1 = 1.00
TPC = Awp x = 2 x 1 x 1.025 / 100 = 0.0205

Exercise 7.1
Calculate the particulars at draught of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7m

Exercise 8:
A cylinder of L = 6m and radius r = 1m is floating horizontally on sea water at a level
draught of T = 1m.
• Calculate the displacement (mass and volume), ∆, ∇ ,
• the form coefficients, CB, CM, CW , CP , CVP ,
• and the parameter T P C of the floating cylinder.

(i) If we increase the length of the cylinder by 10%, which of the quantities
calculated in (i, ii, iii) will be affected? Justify your answer and calculate the
quantities affected.

Solution:
The displacement volume ∇ of the horizontally floating cylinder can be expressed
as:
∇= 0.5 × 𝜋 × 𝑟 2 × 𝐿 = 0.5 × 1 × 𝜋 × 6 = 9.42 m3
Then, the sought-after displacement can be calculated by the formula:
∆= ∇×𝜌
𝜌 = 1.025 tonnes/m3 being the weight density of sea water.
Thus ∆= 9.42· X 1.025 tonnes = 9.66 tonnes.
CB = ∇ / (2r·r·L) = 1 / 2 x π r2 L / (2r 2 L) = π/4 = 0.785,
CM = 1 2 πr2/(2r·r) = 1 2 π r2 / (2 r2) = π/4 = 0.785,
CW = 1, since the waterline is rectangular,
CP = 1, since the floating cylinder can be obtained by translating the midship
section (unit-radius half disc) L/2 ahead and L/2 astern,
CVP = ∇ / (2r L r) = 1 / 2 π r2 L / (2r 2L) = π/4 = 0.785,
T P C = waterplane area·ρ /100 = 2 r L· ρ / 100 = 0.123 tonnes/cm.
Exercise 9:
Q. A ship 64 meters long, 10 meters maximum beam, has a light draft of 1.5 meters
and a load draft of 4 meters. The block coefficient of fineness is 0.600 at the light
draft and 0.750 at the load draft. Find the deadweight.

Solution
Light displacement = L x B x draft x Cb
= 64 x 10 x 1.5 x 0.600
= 576 m3
Load displacement = L x B x draft x Cb
= 64 x 10 x 4 x 0.750
= 1920 m3
Deadweight = Load displacement – Light displacement
= 1920 – 576 m3
Deadweight = 1344 m3= 1344 x 1.025 tonnes
Deadweight = 1378 tonnes.

Exercise 10:
A barge below with rectangular midship section floats with draught of 3m in sea
water. It floats at its design waterline which is 26m long and the keel is 22m long. It is
9m wide
Using the LWL as a reference length, calculate the following hull geometric
properties
• Displacement volume
• Block coefficient
• Waterplane area coefficient
• Midship area coefficient
• Prismatic coefficient.
Exercise 11
A ship with length 100m, breadth 22m has the following volumes and areas at different
waterlines.

Calculate its , CB,CW and TPC in saltwater density 1.025tonnes/m3.

Draught Aw ∇ ∆ 𝐶𝐵 𝐶𝑤 TPC

2 1800 3168.0
4 2000 6547.2
6 2100 10137.6
8 2120 13728
10 2130 17424

Exercise 12
A ship has three parts and the respective weights and Kg are as follows. Find the
total weight and KG.
Part Weight (tonnes) Kg (m above keel)
Lightship 3000 5.0
Cargo 1 500 7.5
Cargo 2 750 3

Solution:
Hint:
Part Weight (tonnes) Kg (m above keel) Moment about
keel
Lightship 3000 5.0
Cargo 1 500 7.5
Cargo 2 750 3

KG = Total moment about keel / Total weight

Exercise 13
A ship of 6,000 tonnes displacement has KG = 6 m and KM = 7.33 m. The following
cargo is loaded:
1000 tonnes, Kg 2.5 m
500 tonnes, Kg 3.5 m
750 tonnes, Kg 9.0 m
The following cargo is then discharged:
450 tonnes of cargo Kg 0.6 m
And 800 tonnes of cargo Kg 3.0 m
Find the final GM.

Exercise 14
A ship of 6,000 tonnes displacement has KM= 7.3 m, and KG= 6.7 m, and is floating
upright. A weight of 60 tonnes already on board is shifted 12 m transversely. Find the
resultant heeling
Solution
GM = KM -KG = 0.6m
Tan =60 x 126000 x 0.6

Exercise 15
During an inclining experiment of a vessel, when a 5 tonne mass is moved at
distance 16 m across the deck, the deflection of a 4 m long pendulum is found to be
50 mm. The vessel has a displacement of 3500 t. Calculate the GM of the vessel.
Solution :
We have,
m=5t
d = 16 m
Δ = 3500 t
deflection of pendulum = 50 mm
length of pendulum = 4 m = 4000mm

Tan 𝜃 = 50/4000 = 0.0125

 5𝑥16
GM = 3500𝑥0.0125= 1.82m

Exercise 16
A wooden block of width 2m, depth 1.5m and length 4m floats
horizontally in water. Find the volume of water displaced and the position
of center of buoyancy. The specific gravity of wooden block is 0.7.
Solution:
Weight of the block = Weight of water displaced
𝜌𝑥∇𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 = 𝜌𝑥∇𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑
0.7x2x1.5x 4 = 2x4xh
1.05m from bottom.

Centre of buoyancy is T/2, since it is a box like shape

1.05/2 = 0.525 from bottom.

Exercise 17
A uniform body of size 4mx2mx1m floats in water. What is the weight of
the body if the depth of immersion is 0.6m? Also determine the meta-
centric height.
= x FW

 = 4x2x0.6x1 = 4.8 kg

Metacentric height: GM,

GM = KB + BM – KG
Position of Centre of Buoyancy = 0.6/2 = 0.3m
Position of the centre of gravity = ½ = 0.5 m
 1𝑥4𝑥23
BM = I /  = 12𝑥4𝑥2𝑥0.6 = 0.556𝑚

GM = KB+BM-KG = 0.356m

Exercise 18;
A solid wood cylinder has a diameter of 0.6m and a height of 1.2m. The
[Link]. of the wood is 0.6. If the cylinder is placed vertically in oil of
density 0.85, would it be stable?
= x Oil

0.6 𝑥 𝜋 𝑥 0.32 𝑥 1.2 = 0.85 𝑥 𝜋 𝑥 0.32 𝑥 𝑇

𝑇 = 0.847𝑚

KB = T/2 = 0.847/2 = 0.4235 m

KG = D/2 = 1.2/2 = 0.6 m
1
4
𝑥 𝜋 𝑥 0.44
BM = = = 0.0265
𝜋 𝑥 0.32 𝑥 0.847

GM = KB + BM – KG = 0.4235 + 0.0265 – 0.6 = -0.15 meters