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ANGLE OF LOLL

1. SHIP IN EQUILIBRIUM STATE

DURING HER SAILING LIFE, A SHIP ALWAYS HAS TO COPE UP WITH

MOTION DUE TO THE FORCES OF THE SEA, THE CARGO SHE
CARRIES AND THE STORMS SHE HAS TO GO THROUGH.
THEREFORE IF IT HAPPENS THAT SHE IS UPRIGHT, IT SHOULD BE
REGARDED AS ROLLING ABOUT THE UPRIGHT POSITION.

IN THE SO CALLED UPRIGHT POSITION, THE WEIGHT OF THE SHIP

ACTS VERTICALLY DOWN THROUGH THE CENTER OF GRAVITY G.
THE UP THRUST ACTS THROUGH THE CENTER OF BUOYANCY B.
SINCE THE WEIGHT IS EQUAL TO THE UP THRUST AND THE
CENTER OF GRAVITY G AND THE CENTER OF BUOYANCY B ARE
IN THE SAME VERTICAL LINE , THE SHIP IS SAID TO BE IN
EQUILIBRIUM.

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2. STABLE SHIP AND METACENTRE

CONSIDER A SHIP FLOATING UPRIGHT IN STILL WATER AS SHOWN

BELOW (IN EQUILIBRIUM STATE).

THE CENTRES OF GRAVITY AND BUOYANCY ARE AT G AND B

RESPECTIVELY.

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WHEN HEELED THE WEDGE OF BUOYANCY WOW1 IS BROUGHT

OUT OF THE WATER AND AN EQUAL WEDGE LOL1 BECOMES
IMMERSED. IN THIS WAY A WEDGE OF BUOYANCY HAVING ITS
CENTRE OF GRAVITY AT G IS TRANSFERRED TO A POSITION WITH
ITS CENTRE OF GRAVITY G1. THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY BEING
THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF THE UNDERWATER VOLUME DD,
MUST NOW SHIFT FROM B TO NEW POSITION B1, SUCH THAT BB1
IS PARALLEL TO GG1 AND VXBB1 = VX GG1

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WHERE V IS THE VOLUME OF TRANSFERRED WEDGE AND V IS

SHIPS VOLUME OF DISPLACEMENT.

THE VERTICALS THROUGH THE CENTRES OF BUOYANCY AT TWO

CONSECUTIVE ANGLES OF HEEL INTERSECT A POINT CALLED
METACENTRE.

FOR ANGLES OF HEEL UPTO ABOUT 15 DEGREES, THE VERTICAL

THROUGH THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY MAY BE CONSIDERED TO
CUT CENTRE LINE AT A FIXED POINT CALLED THE INITIAL
METACENTRE.

THE HEIGHT OF THE INTIAL METACENTRE ABOVE THE KEL (KM)

DEPENDS UPON SHIPS UNDERWATER FORM. A TYPICAL CURVE OF
KM FOR A SHIP PLOTTED AGAINST DRAUGHT IS SHOWN BELOW.

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THE VERTICAL DISTANCE GM IS REFERRED TO AS THE

METACENTRIC HEIGHT. IF G IS BELOW M, THE SHIP IS SAID TO
HAVE POSITIVE METACENTRIC HEIGHT AND IF G IS ABOVE M THE
METACENTRIC HEIGHT IS SAID TO BE NEGATIVE.

3. RIGHTING LEVER AND MOMENTS OF STATICAL STABILITY

IN STABLE EQUILIBRIUM, IF WHEN INCLINED SHE TENDS TO

RETURN TO THE INITIAL POSITION. FOR THIS TO OCCUR, THE
CENTRE OF GRAVITY MUST BE BELOW THE METACENTRE; THAT
IS THE SHIP MUST HAVE POSITIVE INITIAL METACENTRE. FIGURE
BELOW SHOWS A SHIP IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION HAVING
POSITIVE GM.

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THE SAME SHIP IS SHOWN INCLINED BY A SMALL ANGLE Ө. THE

POSITION OF G REMAINS UNAFFECTED BY THE HEEL AND THE
FORCE OF GRAVITY IS CONSIDERED IS VERTICALLY

DOWNWARDS THROUGH THE POINT. THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY

MOVES OUT TO THE LOW SIDE FROM B TO B1 TO TAKE UP THE
NEW CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF THE UNDERWATER VOLUME, AND
THE FORCE OF BUOYANCY IS CONSIDERED TO ACT VERTICALLY
UPWARDS THROUGH B1 AND THE METACENTRE M.

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IF MOMENTS ARE TAKEN ABOUT G. THERE IS A MOMENT TO

RETURN THE SHIP TO THE UP RIGHT POSITION. THIS MOMENT IS
REFERRED TO AS THE MOMENT OF STATICAL STABILITY AND IS
EQUAL TO THE PRODUCT PF THE FORCE W (WHICH IS THE FORCE
OF BUOYANCY ACTING VERTICALLY UPWARDS THROUGH B1 AND
CUTTING STRAIGHT LINE AT METACENTRE M) AND THE LENGTH
OF THE LEVER GZ.

MOMENT OF STATICAL STABILITY = W X GZ TONNES METER

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THE LEVER GZ IS CALLED THE RIGHTING LEVER AND IS THE

PERPENDICULAR DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY
AND THE VERTICAL THROUGH THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY

FOR SMALL ANGLES OF HEEL

(LESS THAN 15 DEGREES) GZ = SIN Ө

GM

THEREFORE GZ= GM SIN Ө.

THEREFORE MOMENT OF STATICAL STABILITY = W X GM SIN Ө

4. TENDER AND STIFF SHIPS

GM IS SAID TO BE POSITIVE WHEN G LIES BELOW M AND THE

VESSEL IS STABLE. TRADITIONALLY THE STABILITY OF THE SHIP
IS REFERRED TO IN TERMS OF METACENTRIC HEIGHT GM. A SHIP
WITH A SMALL METACENTRIC HEIGHT WILL HAVE SMALL
RIGHTING LEVER AT ANY ANGLE AND WILL ROLL EASILY. THE
SHIP IS SAID TO BE TENDER.

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A SHIP WITH A LARGE METACENTRIC HEIGHT WILL HAVE LARGE

WRITING LEVER AT ANY ANGLE AND WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLE
RESISTANCE TO ROLLING. AND WILL VERY QUICKLY RETURN TO
UPRIGHT POSITION. THE RETURN TO UPRIGHT POSITION IS SO
QUICK AS TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE. SUCH SHIPS HAVE VERY L
SHORT ROLLING PERIOD AND ARE SAID TO BE STIFF.IN EXTREME
CASES VERY SHORT ROLLING PERIOD CAN RESULT IN
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE SHIP.

5. UNSTABLE EQUILIBRIUM

WHEN A SHIP IS INCLINED TO A SMALL ANGLE AND TENDS TO

HEEL OVER STILL FURTHER SHE IS SAID TO BE IN UNSTABLE

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EQUILIBRIUM. FOR THIS TO OCCUR THE SHIP MUST HAVE A

NEGATIVE GM.

FIGURE BELOW SHOWS A SHIP IN UNSTABLE EQUILIBRIUM

WHICH HAS BEEN INCLINED TO SMALL ANGLE. THE MOMENT OF
STATICAL STABILITY, W X GZ IS CLEARLY CAPSIZING MOMENT
WHICH WILL TEND TO HEEL THE SHIP STILL FURTHER TILL SHE
CAPSIZES. (HOWEVER EVERY SHIP HAVING A NEGATIVE INITIAL

METACENTRIC HEIGHT NEED NOT NECESSARILY CAPSIZE.)

6. NEUTRAL EQUILIBRIUM

WHEN G COINCIDES WITH M AS SHOWN IN FIGURE BELOW,

THE SHIP IS SAID TO BE IN NEUTRAL EQUILIBRIUM , AND IF
INCLINED TO A SMALL ANGLE , SHE WILL TEND TO REMAIN AT

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THAT ANGLE OF HEEL UNTIL ANOTHER EXTERNAL FORCE IS

APPLIED.

MOMENT OF STATICAL STABILITY = W X GZ, BUT IN THIS CASE

GZ = 0

THEREFORE MOMENT OF STATICAL STABILITY = 0

THEREFORE THERE IS NO MOMENT TO BRING THE SHIP BACK TO

UPRIGHT OR TO HEEL HER OVER STILL FURTHER.

7. CORRECTING UNSTABLE AND NEUTRAL EQUILIBRIUM

WHEN A SHIP IN UNSTABLE OR NEUTRAL EQUILIBRIUM IS TO

BE MADE STABLE, THE EFFECTIVE CENTRE OF GRAVITY MAY BE

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EMPLOYED SHOULD BE LOWERED. TO DO THIS ONE OR MORE OF

THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

1. WEIGHTS ALREADY IN THE SHIP MAY BE LOWERED.

2. WEIGHTS MAY BE LOADED BELOW THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF

THE SHIP

3. WEIGHTS MAY BE DISCHARGED FROM THE POSITIONS ABOVE

THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY

4. FREE SURFACES WITHIN THE SHIP MAY BE REMOVED

8. NEGATIVE GM AND ANGLE OF LOLL

IT HAS BEEN SHOWN EARLIER THAT SHIP HAVING A

NEGATIVE INITIAL METACENTREIC WILL BE UNSTABLE WHEN
INCLINED BY A SMALL ANGLE.

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AS THE ANGLE OF HEEL INCREASES, THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY

WILL MOVE OUT STILL FURTHER TO THE LOW SIDE. IF THE
CENTRE OF BUOYANCY WILL MOVES OUT TO A POSITION
VERTICALLY UNDER G, THE CAPSIZING MOMENT WOULD HAVE
DISAPPEARED AS SHOWN IN FIGURE BELOW:

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THE ANGLE OF HEEL AT WHICH THIS OCCURS IS CALLED THE

ANGLE OF LOLL. IT CAN BE SEEN THAT AT THE ANGLE OF LOLL,
THE GZ IS ZERO.

IF THE SHIP IS HEELED BEYOND THE ANGLE OF LOLL, THE

CENTRE OF BUOYANCY WILL MOVE OUT STILL FURTHER TO THE
LOW SIDE AND THERE WILL BE A MOMENT TO RETURN HER TO
THE ANGLE OF LOLL.

THEREFORE IT CAN BE SEEN THAT THE SHIP WILL OSCILLATE

ABOUT THE ANGLE OF LOLL INSTEAD OF ABOUT THE VERTICAL.
IF THE CENTRE OF BUOYANCY DOES NOT MOVE OUT FAR
ENOUGH TO GET VERTICALLY UNDER G, THE SHIP WILL CAPSIZE.

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THE POINTS OF INTEREST TO NOTE ARE:

i) THE RANGE OF STABILITY, FROM 0 DEG. TO 76 DEG.

WHICH IS THE ANGLE OF VANISHING STABILITY
ii) THE VALUE OF THE MAXIMUM RIGHTING LEVER
iii) THE POINT AT WHICH THE MAXIMUM RIGHTING LEVER
OCCURS.
iv) THE ANGLE AT WHICH, THE DECK EDGES BECOME
SUBMERGED .THIS IS AT A WHERE THE CURVE CHANGES
DIRECTION.
v) THE SHAPE OF THE CURVE AT THE ORIGIN. THIS IS
TANGENTIAL TO THE LINE OB, WHERE BC IS THE GM
ERECTED AT 57.3 DEG.
vi) FOR SMALL ANGLES UPTO 10 DEG. GZ = GM SIN Ѳ= GM Ѳ

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THEN GZ = GM 57.3 DEG

STEPS TO CORRECT ANGLE OF LOLL

ANGLE OF LOLL GENERALLY OCCURS WHEN THERE IS

SLIGHT NEGATIVE GM FROM ~ .05 TO ~ 0.10 M. GOOD PRACTICE

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REQUIRES THAT GM SHOULD NEVER BE BELOW +0.15. AVERAGE

VALUE OF GM FOR DIFFERENT TYPE OF SHIPS AS UNDER:

SHIP TYPE GM AT FULLY LOADED

CONDITION
GENERAL CARGO SHIP 0.30 TO 0.50 M
OIL TANKERS TO VLCC’S 0.30 TO 1.0 M
CONTAINER SHIPS 1.5 M APPROX.
RO RO VESSELS 1.50 APPROX
BULK CARRIERS 2 TO 3 M

SUPPOSE A VESSEL TAKES AN ANGLE OF LOLL, FOLLOWING

WOULD BE THE STEPS TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION:

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I) ASCERTAIN HOW MANY EMPTY TANKS AT BOTTOM ARE

AVAILABLE.

II) WEIGHTS SHOULD BE ADDED LOW DOWN IN THE VESSEL ON

THE LISTED SIDE AND G WILL BE THUS LOWERED, BUT THE
ADDED WEIGHT WILL ALSO CAUSE G TO MOVE OUT OF THE
CENTRE LINE ON THE LOWER SIDE, INCREASING THE LIST. FREE
SURFACE IS ALSO BEING CREATED AND THIS WILL GIVE A
VIRTUAL RISE IN G, THUS CAUSING A LOSS OF GM WHICH WILL
INCREASE THE LIST FURTHER. AS THE VESSEL LISTS MORE B1
WILL MOVE OUT FURTHER CREATING A RIGHTING LEVER GZ
WHICH WOULD BRING THE SHIP BACK TO ANGLE OF LOLL, AND
GRADUAL PRESSING UP OF TANKWOULD BRING THE SHIP UP
RIGHT.

III) ALSO IF THERE IS ANY CARGO ON THE DECK WHICH CAN BE

LOWERED DOWN THAT WOULD ASSIST IN BRINGING G BELOW M

IV) ONCE THE SITUATION IMPROVES ALL LOOSE TANKS CAN BE

PRESSED UP.

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