Hydrodynamics

Driven by a passion for solving difficult engineering challenges, Lloyd's Register ODS performs hydrodynamic analysis, in both frequency and time domains, to accurately predict motion, hull pressure distributions and sea loads for ships moving in waves using the in-house custom developed software, TRIDENT^TM WaveLoad.

WaveLoad software performs seakeeping analysis to accurately predict motion, hull pressure distributions and sea loads for ships with variable forward speed in waves.  Mono or multi-hull ships of any type can be modelled in regular or irregular waves and any sea state. WaveLoad also allows for multiple ships to be modelled at the same time for hydrodynamic interaction anaylsis.

Waveload is a potential flow, three-dimensional panel-method code based on Green function in both frequency and time domains. WaveLoad is available both frequency domain (FD) and time domain (TD) versions.

Highly accurate and reliable, WaveLoad has been proven through extensive numerical comparison with results from other software and experimental data.  WaveLoad is part of TRIDENT^TM, our integrated software suite for 3D modelling, design and analysis of ship structures.

Key features include the ability to:

• Determine ship motion in all six degrees of freedom in regular and irregular waves: Surge, Sway, Heave, Roll, Pitch and Yaw 
• Analyze hydrodynamic pressure distributions on ship hull
• Compute sea loads including shear forces, bending and torsion moments on any hull section
• Model ships with variable forward speed in waves
• Vary water depth and wave heading
• Perform multiple-ship hydrodynamic interaction analysis
• Review numerical results data, including RAO's, added mass, damping coefficients, and wave exciting forces diagrams
• View contour plots and animations of pressure distributions and actual ship motions in incident wave field 
• Import results directly into TRIDENT FEA software for FE-based structural analysis
• Perform non-linear hydrodynamic analysis in the time-domain
• Determine ship motions with time series of displacements, velocities and accelerations
• Incident waves can be regular or long-crested and short-crested irregular ones 
• Ship motion coupled with the liquid motion in partially filled tank
• Hydrodynamic loads assessment for pump tower in partially filled tank

Several value added features have been introduced to FD-WaveLoad expanding the design and capabilities such as:

• Graphical display of result curves including motions and sea loads
• Enhanced panel generator for barges and ships with bulbous bow
• Multi-hull ship models, such as catamarans and trimarans
• Enhanced multiple-ship interaction analysis capability calculates interfacing wave heights
• Improved link with TRIDENT FEA for detailed stress analysis of ship hull

FD-WaveLoad technical specifications include: 

• Frequency-domain hydrodynamic analysis for prediction of motions, sea loads and pressures on floating bodies
• Accurately predict motions
• Compute sea loads
• Analyze hydrodynamic pressure distributions
• Perform multiple-body interaction analysis
• Integrated finite element stress analysis
• Panelization
• Post-processing

For more information on how Lloyd's Register ODS engineers can help you with your hydrodynamic initiatives, please contact us.