Experimental study of bank effects on full form ship models

Results of captive model test series carried out with full form ship models in restricted waters in the Towing Tank for Manoeuvres in Shallow Water (co-operation Flanders Hydraulics - University of Ghent) are analyzed. Two situations were considered: a hulk carrier in parallel course with a vertical wall, and a panamax bulk carrier in a canal with sloping hanks.Following parameters were varied during the tests: water depth, ship-bank distance, ship speed, propeller rpm, rudder angle, drift angle. The influence of these parameters on lateral force and yawing moment will he discussed. Besides that, the effect on longitudinal force will be taken into consideration.The experimental results are compared with empirical equations published in literature. It is discussed whether extension of such methods for parameters like rudder action and drift is required in order to approximate hank-induced effects in the mathematical model of ship manoeuvring simulators in a more reliable way