Experimental and numerical study of the resistance component interactions of catamarans. (February 2013) - Jamaluddin, A
The paper presents the results of experimental and numerical investigations into the calm water resistance characteristics of slender catamarans and the interference effects of hull separation. The model hull forms comprise modern symmetrical catamaran hulls with lateral separation. A series of tests were conducted in a towing tank with lateral separation of the hulls of Sc/L = 0.2 – 0.4 and speeds corresponding to Froude number up to 0.65. Tests were carried out in a low speed wind tunnel to determine viscous interference effects between the hulls. Numerical computational fluid dynamics modelling was also used to estimate interference effects on the resistance components. It was found that the experimental and numerical investigations were in excellent agreement and provide satisfactory estimates of the resistance components. Results in the paper offer some practical data and further insight into wave and viscous interference effects.