Maneuvering Test in Ice

Oceanic has facilities to conduct maneuvering tests in ice or open water for marine systems. Ship maneuvering studies are accomplished using the Planar Motion Mechanism attached to the 200 Meter Towing Tank or the 90 Meter Ice/Towing Tank. Standard tests such as static yaw and rudder sweeps, pure yaw and sway tests are carried out in these tanks. On-the-fly analysis procedures allow maneuvering derivatives to be calculated as testing proceeds. Using these derivatives all the standard maneuvers required by IMO can be simulated on a desktop. For submarines and towed bodies, the Marine Dynamics Test Facility is available. A test model is mounted on a sting and computer controlled motors allow sway, yaw, heave pitch and roll motions to be individually controlled which force the model to move with 6 degrees-of-freedom. For testing offshore structures in open water, the Offshore Engineering Basin is ideal, as wind, waves, and current can be all modeled simultaneously. Maneuvering tests in ice for both offshore structures and icebreaking ships takes place in the ice/towing tank, where refrigerated fine-grained columnar ice is manufactured to a scaled thickness and flexural strength.