Curves of Statical Stability

Ship Stability – Curves of Statical Stability

Load Line requirements for minimum stability conditions

The area under the GZ curve shall not be less than

0.55 m-rad up to an angle of 30°

0.09 m-rad up to an angle of either 40° or the lesser angle at which the lower edges of
any openings which can not be closed weather-tight are immersed

0.03 m-rad between the angles of heel of 30° and 40° or such lesser angle as mentioned
above

The Righting Lever (GZ) shall be at least 0.20m at an angle of heel equal to or greater
than 30°

The maximum GZ shall occur at an angle of heel of not less than 30°

Initial transverse metacentric height shall not be less than 0.15m. For ship carrying
timber deck cargo complying with (a), this may be reduced to not less than 0.05 metres.
Curve Of Statical Stability

Graph where GZ is plotted against the angle of heel.

Drawn for each voyage condition by the ship’s officer.

This curve is for a particular displacement and KG.

From this curve it is possible to ascertain the following:

Initial metacentric height – point of intersection of the tangent drawn to the curve at the
initial point and a vertical through the angle of heel of 57.3° (1 radian).

Angle of contraflexure – the angle of heel up to which the rate of increase of GZ with
heel is increasing. Though the GZ may increase further, the rate of increase of GZ
begins to decrease at this angle.

The range of stability – where all GZ values are positive.

The maximum GZ lever & the angle at which it occurs.

The angle of vanishing stability – beyond which the vessel will capsize.

The area of negative stability.

The moment of statical stability at any given angle of heel (GZ x Displacement of the
ship).

The moment of dynamical stability – work done in heeling the ship to a particular
angle.

Dynamical stability at è = W x A (in t-m-rad)

W = Displacement (in tonnes)

A = area between the curve and the baseline up to the given angle of heel (in
metre-radians).
GZ Cross Curves of Stability

To draw the curve of statical stability, we need GZ values for various angles of heel.

For this we use the GZ cross curves of stability.

These curves are provided for an assumed KG, tabulating GZ values for various
displacements and angles of list.

Called cross curves because the various curves actually ‘cross’ each other.

Since the curves are plotted for an assumed KG, if the actual KG differs from this a
correction (GG1Sineθ) needs to be applied.

This correction is positive if the actual KG is less than the assumed KG and vice-versa.

After obtaining the GZ values at various angles, the curve of statical stability is
prepared.
KN Cross Curves of Stability

Same as the GZ cross curves and also used to get the GZ values for making the curve of
statical stability.

The only difference being that here the KG is assumed to be ZERO.

This solves the problem of a sometimes positive and sometimes negative correction, as
now the correction is always subtracted.

GZ = KN – KG Sine θ

Written by Capt. Jayant Roy

Reference: http://shipinspection.eu/curves-of-statical-stability/
Movement of the Centre of Gravity
Ship Stability – Movement of the Centre of Gravity

Centre of gravity

It is the point of a body at which all the mass of the body may be assumed to be
concentrated.

The force of gravity acts vertically downwards from this point with a force equal to the
weight of the body.

Basically the body would balance around this point.

The COG of a homogeneous body is at its geometrical centre.

Effect of removing or discharging mass

Consider a rectangular plank as shown. The effects of adding or removing weights

would be as shown:

Now cut the length of plank of mass ‘w’ kg whose CG is ‘d’ mtrs away from CG of the
plank.

Note that a resultant moment of ‘w x d’ kg m has been created in an anti-clockwise

direction about ‘G’.

The CG of the new plank shifts from ‘G’ to ‘G1’.

The new mass (W-w) kg now creates a tilting moment of (W-w) x GG1 about G.

Since both are referring to the same moment,

 (W-w) x GG1 = w x d

GG1 = (w x d)/(W-w)

CONCLUSION: When a weight is removed from a body, the CG shifts directly away
from the CG of the mass removed, and the distance it moves is given by:

GG1 = (w x d)/Final mass metres

Where, GG1 is the shift of CG

w is the mass removed

d is the distance between the CG of the mass removed and the CG of the body.

Effect of adding or loading mass

Equating the tilting moments created due to the added weight, which must again be
equal:

(W + w) x GG1 = w x d

GG1 = (w x d)/(W + w)

GG1 = (w x d)/ (Final mass) metres

Application to ships

DISCHARGING WEIGHTS:

GG1 = (w x d) / (Final displacement) metres

LOADING WEIGHTS

GG1 = (w x d) / (Final displacement) metres

Shifting Weights

GG2 = (w x d) / (Displacement) metres

Vertical Weight Shifts

Shifting weight vertically, no matter where onboard it is, will always cause the ship’s
center of gravity to move in the same direction as the weight shift.

To calculate the height of the ship’s center of gravity after a vertical weight shift, the
following equation is used:

KG1 = ((W0 x KG0) +/- (w x kg)) / ΔF

KGO = The original height of the ship’s center of gravity (M)

Δo = The ship’s displacement prior to shifting weight (MT)

w = The amount of weight shifted (MT)

kg = The vertical distance the weight was shifted (M)

ΔF = The ship’s displacement after shifting the weight (MT)

(+) When the weight is shifted up use (+)

(-) When the weight is shifted down use (-)

Example Problem

10 MT of cargo is shifted up 3 M. ΔO is 3500 MT and KGo is 6 M. What is the new

height of the ship’s center of gravity (KG1)?

KG1 = ((Δo x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) / ΔF

KG1 = ((3500 x 6) + (10 x 3)) / 3500

KG1 = 6.009 M
Vertical Weight Additions/Removals

When weight is added or removed to/from a ship, the vertical shift in the center of
gravity is found using the same equation.

KG1 = ((Δo x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) / ΔF

KGO = The original height of the ship’s center of gravity (M)

ΔO = Ship’s displacement prior to adding/removing weight (MT)

w = The amount of weight added or removed (MT)

kg = The height of the center of gravity of the added/removed weight above the keel
(M)

ΔF = The ship’s displacement after adding/removing the weight

(+) When the weight is added use (+)

(-) When the weight is removed use (-)

Example Problem

A 30 MT crate is added 10 M above the keel. Δo is 3500 MT and KG0 is 6 M. What is

the new height of the ship’s center of gravity (KG1)?

KG1 = ((Δo x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) / ΔF

KG1 = ((3500 x 6) + (30 x 10)) / 3530

KG1 = 6.034 M
Horizontal Weight Shifts

Shifting weight horizontally, no matter where onboard it is, will always cause the ship’s
center of gravity to move in the same direction as the weight shift.

NOTE: A weight shift causing the ship’s center of gravity to move off centerline will
always reduce the stability of the ship.

To calculate the horizontal movement of the ship’s center of gravity, the following
equation is used:

GG2 = (w x d) / ΔF

w = The amount of weight shifted (MT)

d = The horizontal distance the weight is shifted (M)

ΔF = The ship’s displacement after the weight is shifted (MT)

Example Problem

A 50 MT weight is shifted 10 M to starboard. ΔO is 32000 MT.

What is the change in the center of gravity (GG2)?

GG2 = (w x d) / ΔF

GG2 = (50 x 10) / 32000

GG2 = 0.01562 M
Horizontal Weight Additions/Removals

When an off-center weight is added or removed to/from a ship, the ship’s center of
gravity will move off centerline, the ship will develop a list.

To calculate the horizontal movement of the ship’s center of gravity after

adding/removing an off-center weight, the same equation is used:

GG2 = (w x d) / ΔF

w = The amount of weight added/removed (MT)

d = The distance from the center of gravity of the weight to the ship’s centerline (M)

ΔF = the ship’s displacement after the weight is shifted (MT)

Example Problem

50 MT of cargo is loaded onto the Tween deck, 10 M from centerline. ΔO is 48000 MT.
What is the change in the center of gravity (GG2)?

GG2 = (w x d) / ΔF

GG2 = (50 x 10) / 48000 GG2 = 0.0104 M

Effect of suspended weights

The CG of a body is the point through which the force of gravity may be considered to
act vertically downwards.

For a suspended weight, whether the vessel is upright or inclined, the point through
which the force a gravity may be considered to act vertically downwards is g1, the
POINT OF SUSPENSION.
Conclusions

The CG of a body will move directly TOWARDS the CG of any weight ADDED.

The CG of a body will move directly AWAY from the CG of any weight
DISCHARGED.

The CG of a body will move PARALLEL to the shift of the CG of any weight MOVED
within the body.

The shift of the CG of the body in each case is given by the following formula:

GG1 = w x d / W metres

where w = weight added, removed or shifted.

W = final mass of the body

d = distance between the CG if weight added or removed, or the distance by

which the weight is shifted.
When a weight is SUSPENDED, its CG is considered to be at the POINT OF
SUSPENSION.

Written by Capt. Jayant Roy

Reference: http://shipinspection.eu/movement-of-the-centre-of-gravity/