KN-curves (cross curves of stability)

General Formulation
• The KN-curves represent the graphic dependence of the form arm on the
displacement with a given angle of heel
• The intersection of all curves in one point of the abscises axis means that at this
displacement A there is no waterline. This is a state of full immersion of the hull, because
BM = 0 (I = 0) .
Unlike of KN the moment of stability of the form Mf=ΔKN = ρgKN is equal to zero
and with =0, except for KN=0 (A)
Hence it is in its maximum, which shows the
displacement with the greatest righting
qualities determined by the form of the
immersed volume. The practical use of he KN-
curves ranges from the water displacement of
an (light) empty ship and full ship DW.

In order to draw a GZ-curve of a ship with

displacement i the depend­ence KN=f(θ) is
built from the KN-curves, considering the
ordinates. The KG is determined by means of
the stowage plan. Then the arm of the weight is
calculated at interval of 10°.
KC lG  = KGsinθ
GZ-curve is a graphical defference between
KN and KC
GZ θ  = KN θ  - KG sinθ
 Universal Diagram
The building of a GZ-curve by means of KN-
curves requires graphical work which is
considerably shortened if the Universal
Diagram of Stability is used. Its drawing is
based on a con­ventional representation of the
form arm. It is represented as a curve corre­
sponding to a specific displacement as a
function from angle θ. The right ver­tical axis
erected with θ = 90°, is the scale of the real
range of values of GM for a concrete ship. The
angles have a sine scale on the abscises axis.
To build a GZ-curve a modified arm of the weight is drawn as a straight line between the
beginning p. 0 and the respective value of GM. The ordinate differences between the
conditional arms are the righting moment arm.

GZ θ  = KN θ  - lG/
/

They are entered perpendicularly towards the abscises axis at a moderate scale for the
heeling angle. The curve connecting their top ends represents the GZ-curve.
Dynamical Stability

The mechanics of the ship behavior when applying listing moments with disregarding the
drift, is the same as turning a solid round an axis which pass­es trough p.G.
In dynamical inclination the following moments operate on the ship:
•a dynamically applied listing moment, ML;
•a righting moment, Mr;
•an inertia moment JGX of the ship mass;
•the moment MR of the friction forces between the ship plating and the water.
Dynamical Stability is ability of the ship to
counteraction to dynamical action of applied listing
moment to her without capsizing
The dynamical action expresses with increasing the
listing moment to his maximum in time which is very
shortly than the ship inclining. Like this is not possible
the equality between the dynamical listing moment ML
and up-righting moment Mr, which is the condition of
the statical action of the same moment. The ship start
briefly inclining by inertia to dynamical angle of list θD
which magnitude is vastly bigger than the magnitude of
the statical angle of list θh
 Under the influence of the kinetic energy of the dynamical moment the ship starts to
incline but she is impeded (thanks to the righting moment) by the increasing of the
coun­teracting moment difference δM = Mr – ML . With the exhaustion of the kinetic
energy the inclination stops at an angle θ = θD, referred to as angle of roll. Since in this
position the resultant moment is in the direction of the righting moment, the ship starts
turning back to her upright position at an increasing angle speed. It is maximum also at
angle θh . The ship returns to angle θ0 = 0. which plays the role of an opposite angle of
roll. After that the process repeats absolutely identically.
As the ship's inclination is effected by the difference of the moments, the kinetic energy
results from its work. Hence when the kinetic energy exhausts, that is when the ship stops,
the work of δM, performed in the range θ0  θD and back is also zero. This means that the
work of the listing moment and the work of the righting moment are equal in the final
positions, Tl = Tr.
The work of the listing moment Tl is predetermined by its type, and the work T r is
possible on the basis of the ship's qualities. Therefore the condition Tl = Tr is realised
without allowing the possibility Tl > Tr, then the magnitude of the righting moment Tr
should be specified as a measure for the ship's stability against the dynamical­ly applied
heeling moments, that is as a measure for the dynamic ship's stabili­ty at heel.
This stability can be calculated by means of the GZ-curve if the work of the righting
moment is presented as an area Tr = SONSO and the work of the listing moment by
Tl = SONEFO
Since graphically the common work is SONEAO, the angle θD will depend only on the
magnitudes of the equal residual areas SOAFO = SAESA.
For every state of the ship there can be
introduced the concept reserve of dynamic
stability. Graphically this reserve represents the
residue of the GZ- curve on the area SESKE
enclosed between the graphics of the two
moments, on the right side of the vertical line
connecting them, reading off θD.
The maximum allowable heeling moment is determined when the reserve of the dynamic
stability is completely exhausted and Ml = const and in the picture it is represented by an
equation of the areas of the allowable residual works:

SOAFO = SAQHA
Since it is probable θD to be in the
descending branch of GZ-curve, having in
mind that there is the zone of unstable
equilibrium, the risk of the ship cap­sizing is
real.
As the stability is a seaworthy quality ensuring safety of navigation its standardizing means
to provide for allowable permissible angles of heel in incli­nation. This requires
determining the respective conditions for maximum acceptable heeling moments for a
given type of vessel in given region of sail­ing. Here is taken into account the energy of the
oscillation, created by the righting moment, because the most unfavourable case is when
there is a dynam­ic wind effect coming from a board moment inclined in the water.
In the most general case the type of loading a ship, the GZ-curve of which is subject to
similar check, is:
• with complete cargo and full supplies
• with complete cargo and supplies 10%
• without cargo and full supplies
• without cargo and supplies 10%
The requirements of the International Maritime organization concerning the ship's
stability are laid down in Resolution A 749(18). They are the follow­ing (fig.):
A - area of the diagram up to θ = 30° but not smaller than 0.55 m.rad (metre x radian);
В - area not smaller than 0.09 m.rad up to the utmost angle, which is inter­preted as the
smallest of the three variants:
• flooding angle
• heeling angle corresponding to GZ θ m;
• angle equal to 40°.
C - area between θ = 30° and θ = χ
not smaller than 0.03 m.rad

Е - maximum arm at θ m ≥ 30°,GZmax≥0.25m at Lвp ≤ 80 m; GZmax≥0.2m at Lвp >80 m

F - the minimum permissible initial transverse metacentric height which is to be positive
for all cases of loading except for lightened ship; its value varies from 0.05 m for the
limber carriers up to 0.5 m for ships with Lвp < 20 m and IMO recommends GMmin > 0.15
m (after reading off the free surfaces);
I - the angle θV of vanishing stability being not less than 60°.