Computerized PMM approach for Esso Osaka

For the investigation of the manoeuvring behaviour of surface ships MARIN has developed a computerised Planar Motion Mechanism system (PMM) that can be utilised in conjunction with the main resistance and powering experiments. The system has been installed on a separate towing carriage that can be hooked-up to the main towing carriage and is ready-to-use for ship models in the 8m size range employed for resistance and powering experiments. In addition, a standardised mathematical model and an automated analysis software module has been developed to transform the basin measurements into hydrodynamic coefficients in a straightforward manner. The system has been applied to a model of the Esso Osaka VLCC to obtain fresh model test data and to check the applicability of the standard mathematical model for this well-published case. The present paper briefly describes the major features of the layout and the analysis procedures of the system and provides some sample data of the correlation between computer simulations based on the recently obtained Esso Osaka model test results and the full scale trials results.