Handout

TRANSVERSE STATICAL STABILITY

the transverse metacenter (M) as the point of intersection of successive

buoyancy force vectors as the angle of heel increases by a small angle
Transverse metacenter (M)
When a ship floating at rest in still water is inclined by an external force to a small
angle , the centre of buoyancy shifts from B to the new position – Bfi. The point where
the new line of buoyancy force intersects the initial line is denoted as the initial
metacentre M.
For practical purposes, in normal merchant ships the point M does not change in
position for inclination up to about 7-15 degrees.

When a vessel is heeled (inclined by an external force), the force of buoyancy, acting
vertically upwards through the new position of COB, cuts the center line of the ship
at a point called the transverse metacenter (M).
The position of M is indicated by its height above the keel in meters (KM). KM
increases as the angle of heel increases, until it reaches a maximum value at some
large angle of heel thereafter, it decreases as angle of heel increases.

However, over small angles of heel (say up to about 15°) the increase of KM is
generally small. Hence, KM is considered constant for small angles of heel, for the
sake of convenience in stability calculations, and is sometimes referred to as initial
KM.
KM is calculated by adding KB and BM, each of which is calculated separately. The
initial KM is, therefore, a function of the draft of the vessel. On board a ship, the
initial KM is obtained by consulting a table or graph, supplied by the shipyard, wherein
KM is indicated against draft.

for small angles of heel, M can be considered as a fixed point on the

centerline on a diagram of a ship heeled to a small angle, indicates G, B, Z
and M
For practical purposes, in normal merchant ships the point M does not change in
position for inclination up to about 7-15 degrees.

stability as the ability of the ship to return to an upright position after

being heeled by an external force

Stability is the tendency or ability of the ship to return to upright when heeled from
the upright position. A ship with a strong tendency to return to upright is regarded
as a stable vessel. On the other hand, a vessel is said to be not stable when it has
little or no ability to return to the upright condition. In fact, an unstable ship may
require just a small external force or moment to cause it to capsize.
lever GZ as the horizontal distance between the vertical forces acting
through B and G

• When heeled by an external force, the vessel’s weight acts vertically downward
through G
• B has moved to B’ and the buoyancy force acts vertically up through B’
• The horizontal distance from G to the vertical line from B’ is called the righting
lever or GZ.
the forces of weight and buoyancy form a couple
When a ship is inclined, the center of buoyancy shifts off centerline while the center
of gravity remains in the same location.
Since the forces of buoyancy and gravity are equal and act along parallel lines, but
in opposite directions, a rotation is developed.
This is called a couple, two moments acting simultaneously to produce rotation. This
rotation returns the ship to where the forces of buoyancy and gravity balance out.
the magnitude of the couple is displacement x lever, Δ x GZ
When a disturbing force exerts an inclining moment on a ship, there is a change in
the shape of the ship’s underwater body. The underwater volume is relocated, its
bulk being shifted in the direction of the heel. This condition causes the center of
buoyancy (B) to leave the ship’s centerline and shift in the direction of the heel. (The
center of buoyancy moves to the geometric center of the new underwater body.) As
a result, the lines of action of the forces of buoyancy and gravity separate and in
doing so exert a MOMENT on the ship. This moment tends to restore the ship to an
even keel.
If you study figure 12-20, you will notice that a RIGHTING or RESTORING MOMENT
is present.
This righting moment is caused by the two equal and opposite forces, each of W tons
(displacement) magnitude, separated by a distance GZ, which constitutes the LEVER
ARM OF MOMENT. Figure 12-20 shows that the ship is stable because the center of
buoyancy (B) has shifted far enough to position the buoyant force where it tends to
restore the ship to an even keel or an upright position.

A moment is the product of a force tending to produce a rotation about an axis times
its distance from the axis. If two equal and opposite forces are separated by a
distance, the moment will become a couple which is measured by ONE of the forces
times the distance that separates them.
The RIGHTING MOMENT of a ship is therefore the product of the force of buoyancy
times the distance GZ (fig. 12-20) that separates the forces of buoyancy and gravity.
It may also be expressed as the force of gravity (weight of the ship) times GZ. The
distance GZ is known as a ship’s RIGHTING ARM. Putting this into mathematical
terms, you have the following:

Righting moment = W x GZ (expressed in tons.m)

Where:
W = displacement in tons
GZ = righting arm in meters

variations in displacement and GZ affect the stability of the ship

3.1.2.7.8 On a diagram of a heeled ship, shows:
• the forces at B and G
• the lever GZ

length of GZ will be different at different angles of heel