Intact Stability GM Quick Check: Metacentric Height, Free Surface Correction and a Worked Example
Every loading condition on a ship or workboat starts with one question: is the vessel stable enough to sail? The fastest first answer is the transverse metacentric height, GM. This post sets out the hydrostatic fundamentals behind it, shows how free surface in slack tanks erodes it, explains how the inclining experiment fixes the lightship KG, and works through a loading condition for a small cargo vessel. It ends with the first checks against the IMO 2008 Intact Stability Code. It is a screening method, not a substitute for a full stability booklet. It also sits alongside our wider overview of marine engineering and naval architecture . Fundamentals: KB, BM, KM, KG and GM A floating vessel is in equilibrium when weight equals buoyancy and both act along the same vertical line. Buoyancy is the resultant of hydrostatic pressure on the hull, a topic we cover in pressure and fluid statics . When the vessel heels through a small angle, the underwater shape changes, and the centre of buo...



Comments
Post a Comment
Questions or corrections are welcome. Please mention the relevant section and units. Do not post confidential project data or personal contact details. For project inquiries, use the Fluxiss contact page.