Added Resistance Analysis in Maritime Systems
Summary
Added resistance arises from environmental forces imposed on a vessel in waves, wind and currents. It comprises wave-making resistance, motions-induced resistance and viscous interactions. Accurate estimation is critical for predicting ship performance, optimising hull forms and reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions. Historically, physical model tests in towing tanks provided baseline data, while numerical methods such as potential flow solvers and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have matured to capture non-linear wave–structure interactions. Recent advances integrate high-fidelity simulations, machine-learning surrogates and propulsion system models to offer rapid, yet reliable, assessments at both preliminary design and operational stages. Such analyses inform hull form optimisation, voyage planning and regulatory compliance, underpinning efforts towards sustainable maritime transport.
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Added Resistance Analysis in Maritime Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in added resistance analysis in maritime systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Added resistance: Incremental hydrodynamic resistance experienced by a vessel due to waves, wind or current beyond calm-water resistance.
Froude number: Dimensionless parameter fn = U/√(gL) expressing the ratio of ship speed to gravity wave speed, central to wave-resistance scaling.
Block coefficient: Ratio of the underwater volume of a hull to the volume of a rectangular prism defined by its length, breadth and draught, indicating fullness of form.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Numerical method solving Navier-Stokes equations to simulate fluid flow around a ship hull, capturing viscous and turbulent effects.
Potential flow method: Simplified numerical approach assuming inviscid, irrotational flow, widely used for rapid estimation of wave-making resistance.
References
- Utilizing Artificial Neural Network Ensembles for Ship Design Optimization to Reduce Added Wave Resistance and CO2 Emissions. Energies (2024).
- Estimation of added resistance and ship speed loss in a seaway. Ocean Engineering (2017).
- Numerical studies on added resistance and motions of KVLCC2 in head seas for various ship speeds. Ocean Engineering (2017).
- Data-driven prediction of added-wave resistance on ships in oblique waves—A comparison between tree-based ensemble methods and artificial neural networks. Applied Ocean Research (2022).
- Analysis of hull, propeller and engine interactions in regular waves by a combination of experiment and simulation. Journal of Marine Science and Technology (2020).
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