Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering (Naval Hydrodynamics)

The surface ship hydromechanics research area includes:

• A combination of theoretical, computational and experimental efforts
• Development and utilization of advanced instrumentation and facilities
• Development of physics-based, reduced order models and uncertainty quantification
• Improve ship capability, operability and survivability by developing predictive simulation capability of the hydrodynamics, motions and loads of naval platforms operating in relevant ocean environments for design and analysis purposes
• Understanding, prediction and control of the complex, unsteady hydrodynamic phenomena associated with the interactions of a ship or multiple ships and the ocean environment

This work supports the Navy’s interest in advanced sea platform performance science and technology (S&T), advanced sea platform survivability S&T and naval engineering.

Research Concentration Areas

The primary focused research areas are nonlinear ship dynamics and hydrodynamics loads, including:

• Prediction of the nonlinear behavior, extreme motions and hydrodynamic loads, including slamming in high sea-states using deterministic and probabilistic methods
• Utilization of theoretical, computational and experimental methods to develop modeling capability and physical understanding
• Development of physics-based reduced order models and uncertainty quantification

Research Challenges and Opportunities

• Fast and accurate prediction methods with quantifiable uncertainty for design, analysis and operational guidance
• Identification of controlling parameters that represent key physical phenomenon
• Increased platform performance and operational capability
• Increased survivability and safety
• Increased understanding of complex interaction between ships and severe ocean environments