Stability and Watertight Integrity

N72B 6.7

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 References
• Cold Weather Handbook for Surface Ships, OPNAV P-03C-01-89
Series
• Main and Secondary Drainage Systems, DCRA 2005-04 Series
• Practical Damage Control, NSTM Chapter 079, Volume I
• Practical Damage Control, NSTM Chapter 079, Volume II
• Ship’s Damage Control Book, Section II (a)
• Surface Ship Survivability, NTTP 3-20.31 Series
• NAVSEA S9169-AW-DCB-010, Damage Control Watertight Closures
Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Booklet
• NSTM 600V1R3, Structural Closures

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 Terminal Objectives

• Given a US naval vessel, DISCUSS the functions, locations, and

components of watertight closures and hull fittings.

• Given a US naval vessel, EXPLAIN stability fundamentals,

equipment, and operations onboard.

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 Enabling Objectives
• IDENTIFY the basic terminology and principles of ship stability.
• IDENTIFY the effects of weight additions, shifts, and removals on
the center of buoyancy, center of gravity, metacentric height,
righting arm, and roll period.
• IDENTIFY the elements of the free surface and free communication
effects and how they affect stability.
• IDENTIFY the design characteristics of naval ships relating to
watertight integrity and damage resistance.
• IDENTIFY the requirements for all material conditions of readiness
and procedures for changing the condition of readiness.
• IDENTIFY different watertight fittings, proper opening procedures in
a damage control environment, and associated safety precautions.
• IDENTIFY the purpose and procedures for preparing and
maintaining the DC Closure Log and Compartment Check Off List.

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 Hydrodynamics
• Buoyancy: An object floating or
submerged in a fluid experiences
an upward force equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced by
the object
• Displacement: weight of the
volume of water that the ship
displaces when floating freely
(in tons)

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 Hydrodynamics
• Draft: depth of water a ship draws especially when loaded
– Calculative: distance from the keel to the waterline (numbers on the
bow and stern, 6" increments)
– Mean: average of forward and aft drafts
– Navigational: distance from the waterline to the lowest projections
from the ship (i.e. sonar dome and screws)

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 Hydrodynamics
• Trim: difference between the forward and aft drafts
• Pitch: up and down motion of the ship’s bow and stern as it moves
through the sea

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 Hydrodynamics
• List: a definite attitude of transverse inclination of a semi-permanent
nature
– Inclination of a vessel to one side is normally due to weight
distribution
• Heel: a temporary inclination, generally involving motion
– A ship normally heels due to a sharp turn or a steady wind from the
beam

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 Hydrodynamics

• Sagging: compression at
the weather deck and
tension at the keel, often
due to seas or loading

• Hogging: compression at
the keel and tension at
the weather deck, often
due to seas or loading

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 Hydrodynamics
• Temporary hull conditions are due to an external influence.
– Pitch, Roll, and Heel
– Sagging and Hogging

• Persistent hull conditions are due to an internal distribution of

weight.
– Trim and List

• All are affected by the relationship of the weight distribution (Center

of Gravity) to the floating forces on the hull (Center of Buoyancy)

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Introduction to Stability

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Stability Reference Points

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 Center of Buoyancy

• Center of Buoyancy (COB) [B]

is the center of the underwater
hull volume when viewed in
transverse direction

• It’s the point at which all

buoyant forces can be
considered to be acting in a
vertical direction

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Center of Buoyancy
• COB stays in the center of underwater hull
volume

• When the ship rolls starboard, the center

of buoyancy (B) moves starboard

• COB follows the waterline

• As displacement increases from a weight

addition, the ship sinks down, waterline
goes up, and COB goes up
– More underwater hull volume

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 Center of Gravity

• Point at which all weights could

be concentrated is center of
gravity (COG) [G]

• COG moves towards a

weight addition

• COG moves away from

a weight removal

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 G

KGo

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Center of Gravity

G1 G
G
G
G
G
G
G
KG1
KGo

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Center of Gravity

• If weight is shifted up, B and

M (metacenter) do not
change

• G follows the weight shift

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 Metacentric Height

• Distance (GM) between the

center of gravity (COG) and
the metacenter is a prime
determiner for stability:
– Large GM: fast roll period
– Small GM: Slow roll period

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 Righting Arm

• The Righting arm is the

distance between the forces of
buoyancy and gravity

• The Righting arm is a

perpendicular line drawn from
the center of gravity to the
point of intersection on the
force of buoyancy line

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Stability always reduced when:

G is high
G is off centerline

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Danger Angle

• Danger angle is one-half the

angle of heel corresponding
to the maximum righting
arm value

• Danger angle can be found

in DC Book for ship classes

• Visual clue is water awash

over the weather deck

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 Free Surface Effect
Free Communication Effect

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 Free Surface Effect
• Occurs when a compartment
or tank is only partially
flooded/filled
• As the ship rocks, water tends
to maintain a level condition
causing sloshing of water
• As water shifts in direction of
heel, center of gravity shifts
decreasing the righting arm
and reducing the stability
• This effect is reduced by
pocketing, swash plates, and
baffles
• Breadth is the biggest factor
in the free surface effect
(FSE), not the depth
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 Free Communication Effect
• Three conditions for Free Communication Effect:
– Compartment must be open to the sea
– Compartment must be partially flooded
– Compartment must be off centerline

• The continuous addition and removal of water causes a horizontal

shift of G
– Equates to a virtual rise of G

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Stability Plates

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 Flooding Boundaries

Always transverse bulkheads nearest the casualty that

can be secured, watertight requirement

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 Compartmentalization
• Divided horizontally & vertically by tight & non-tight:
– Decks
– Platforms
– Levels
– Bulkheads

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 Compartmentalization
• Further bounded by Doors, Hatches, & Scuttles

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 Quick Acting Watertight Doors
(QAWTD)
• Inspect daily as you are
walking your spaces
• To access a WT closure
during a casualty:
– Check for heat: Use back
of hand approximately ½
inch from the surface
– Check for flooding: Look
for condensation on the
door or bulkhead
– Check for pressure:
Loosen and shake WT
closure; never lose
control of a closure or To access an individually dogged
fitting. WTD, open hinge side first.

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 Compartment Bullseye
Compartment Number
• Deck Number
• Forward most frame
• Position relative
to centerline
• Compartment use

Frame Range
Work Center
• Forward most frame
Responsible
• After most frame
Division Responsible

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 Compartment Utilization
• Letter Designations indicating compartment usage:
– A: Stowage Spaces
– C: Ship Control
– E: Machinery Spaces Normally Manned
– F: Oil Stowage Compartments
– G: Gasoline
– J: JP-5 Tanks
– K: Chemical/Dangerous Material
– L: Living Spaces
– M: Ammunition Spaces
– Q: Miscellaneous Spaces
– T: Vertical Access Trucks
– V: Void Compartments
– W: Water Compartments
– X: Weather deck Area

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 Classification of Fittings
• XRAY/YOKE/ZEBRA: Special permission required, must be logged in
the DC Closure Log if opened during the corresponding Condition
of Readiness

• CIRCLE XRAY/CIRCLE YOKE/CIRCLE ZEBRA: May be opened with

out special permission to transit,inspect, and access vital spaces

• Dog ZEBRA: Set for Darken ship

• WILLIAM: Vital sea suctions,

ventilation, and maintenance
fittings for mobility
• CIRCLE WILLIAM: Access and
ventilation fittings

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 Material Conditions of Readiness

Provides increasing degrees of protection

against the spread of damage!
• XRAY: In homeport, in fair weather, normal working hours
• YOKE: At sea/in port during peacetime, outside of normal working
hours
• MODIFIED YOKE: fittings below the waterline are closed, above the
waterline may be left open to improve accessibility and habitability
• ZEBRA: Set during General Quarters, entering and leaving during
wartime, when in danger
• MODIFIED ZEBRA: CO may wish to set a modified material condition
ZEBRA to provide higher survivability stance than condition YOKE
but less restrictive than ZEBRA
• CIRCLE WILLIAM: Set to prevent contamination in a CBR
environment
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Compartment Check-Off
Lists (CCOL)

• Required for every compartment

or weather deck where DC
facilities are located
• Provide an itemized list and
location of all DC fittings and
the personnel responsible for
the setting of material
conditions of readiness
• Located at every entry to a
compartment
• Master/Duplicate/Partial CCOLs
maintained

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Questions?

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