4.5 Adjusting the Second Moment of Mass
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.616 – Evaluation of Free-Fall Lifeboat Launch Performance – (22 June 1993) - Annex – Evaluation of Free-Fall Lifeboat Launch Performance - Section 4 - 4.5 Adjusting the Second Moment of Mass

4.5 Adjusting the Second Moment of Mass

  4.5.1 After a model of a lifeboat has been constructed, it is very often necessary to adjust the magnitude of the second moment of mass so that it is in proper proportion with the full-scale lifeboat. This is easily accomplished by placing two moveable weights in the model as shown in figure 4.2. The mass of the weights W1 and W2 are equal to m1 and m2 respectively. The total scaled mass of the lifeboat model, then, is equal to:

where m0 is the mass of the model (including equipment placed in the model) without the two weights on board. The weights are placed in the model at a distance S1 and S2 longitudinally from the CG and vertically at the CG. The distances S1 and S2 are selected so that the location of the CG does not change.

As the weights W1 and W2 are moved farther apart, the second moment of mass of the system increases. Conversely, as the weights are moved closer together, the second moment of mass of the system decreases. The distances at which the weights should be placed are:

In the above equations I is the required second moment of mass and I0 is the second moment of mass of the model without the weights on board. If the two weights have the same mass, and that mass is equal to ma, the equations can be reduced to:

Figure 4.2 Geometry for Adjusting Second Moment of Mass

  4.5.2 For this procedure to be applicable, I0 must be smaller than that required. The second moment of mass can be increased by moving the weights around but it cannot be decreased below that which would occur if the masses were placed at the CG (S1 and S2 are both equal to zero). As such, the model should be built so that its mass and second moment of mass are smaller than that required. Two weights then can be properly placed in the model so that the resulting mass and second moment of mass are of the proper magnitude.


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