Determining Parameters for a Lagrangian Mechanical System Model of a Submerged Vessel Maneuvering in Waves

• Main Author: Jung, Se Yong
• Other Authors: Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
• Format: Others
• Published: Virginia Tech 2020
• Subjects: submerged vessel dynamics; hydrodynamic force; Lagrangian mechanics; free surface; maneuvering and seakeeping
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97332

In this dissertation, an approach for determining parameters for a nonlinear Lagrangian mechanical system model of a submerged vessel maneuvering near waves is presented. The nonlinear model with determined parameters is capable of capturing nonlinear effects neglected by other linear models, and therefore can be applied to improve maneuvering performance and expand the operating envelope for submerged vessels operating in elevated sea states. To begin, a first principles Lagrangian nonlinear maneuvering (LNM) model for a surface-affected submerged vessel derived by using Lagrangian mechanics cite{BattistaPhD2018} is reformulated to allow the application of data from a medium fidelity potential flow code. In the reformulation process, the order of integration and differentiation in the integro-differential parameters are switched and partial derivatives of the Lagrangian function are computed with readily available data from the panel code solution. As a result, all model parameters can be computed individually using the panel code, wherein the need for additional numerical discretization is circumvented in the computation process through use of solutions already performed by the basic panel code, enabling higher accuracy and lower computational cost. Furthermore, incident wave effects are incorporated into the reformulated LNM model to yield a Lagrangian nonlinear maneuvering and seakeeping (LNMS) model. The LNMS model is numerically validated by confirming the proposed methods and by comparing steady and unsteady hydrodynamic force calculations from the LNMS model against panel code computations for various vessel motions in calm water and in plane progressive waves. Finally, methods for computing physically intuitive components of the model parameters, as well as methods for making approximations of the terms accounting for memory effects are presented, leading to a model formulation amenable to control design. By applying the methods proposed in this dissertation, each and every parameter of the Lagrangian mechanical system model of a submerged vessel maneuvering in waves can be obtained accurately and with computational efficiency by using a potential flow panel code. The resulting nonlinear motion model provides higher model fidelity than existing unified maneuvering and seakeeping models, especially in applications such as nonlinear control design and simulation. === Doctor of Philosophy === A unified maneuvering and seakeeping model for a submerged vessel maneuvering near waves describes mathematically the relationship between input values to the dynamical system, such as thrust from the propulsors, and output values from the system, such as the position and orientation of the vessel. This unified model has a wide range of applications, ranging from vessel hull form optimization in the early design phase to motion controller tuning after the vessel has been constructed. In order for a unified model to make accurate predictions, for instance, for a submerged vessel making a rapid turn near large waves, nonlinear effects have to be included in the model formulation. To that end, a nonlinear motion model for a marine craft affected by a free surface has been developed using Lagrangian mechanics. This dissertation describes an approach for determining the parameters of the nonlinear motion model using a potential flow panel code, which is originally designed to determine flow velocity of the fluid and pressure distribution over marine vessels. The nonlinear motion model is reformulated and the software implementation is modified to support parameter computations. In addition, the methods are numerically validated by comparing computations using the model against solutions output by the panel code. Compared to traditional parameter estimation approaches, the proposed methods allow for a more accurate and efficient determination of parameters of the nonlinear potential flow model for a submerged vessel operating near waves. The resulting Lagrangian nonlinear maneuvering and seakeeping (LNMS) model with determined parameters is able to capture critical nonlinear effects and has applications such as nonlinear control design, rapid design optimization and training simulator development.