Stability

Movement of the Centre of Gravity

Centre of gravity
It is the point of a body at which all the mass of the body may be assumed to be concentrated.
The force of gravity acts vertically downwards from this point with a force equal to the weight of
the body.
Basically the body would balance around this point.
The COG of a homogeneous body is at its geometrical centre.
Effect of removing or discharging mass

Consider a rectangular plank as shown. The effects of adding or removing weights would be as
shown:
Now cut the length of plank of mass w kg whose CG is d mtrs away from CG of the plank.
Note that a resultant moment of w x d kg m has been created in an anti-clockwise direction
about G.
The CG of the new plank shifts from G to G1.
The new mass (W-w) kg now creates a tilting moment of (W-w) x GG1 about G.
Since both are referring to the same moment,
(W-w) x GG1 = w x d
GG1 = (w x d)/(W-w)
CONCLUSION: When a weight is removed from a body, the CG shifts directly away from the
CG of the mass removed, and the distance it moves is given by:
GG1 = (w x d)/Final mass metres
Where, GG1 is the shift of CG
w is the mass removed
d is the distance between the CG of the mass removed and the CG of the body.
Effect of adding or loading mass
Equating the tilting moments created due to the added weight, which must again be equal:
(W + w) x GG1 = w x d
GG1 = (w x d)/(W + w)
GG1 = (w x d)/ (Final mass) metres
Application to ships
DISCHARGING WEIGHTS:
GG1 = (w x d) metres
(Final displacement)
LOADING WEIGHTS
GG1 = (w x d) metres
(Final displacement)
Shifting Weights
GG2 = (w x d) metres
(Displacement)
Vertical Weight Shifts
Shifting weight vertically, no matter where onboard it is, will always cause the ships center of
gravity to move in the same direction as the weight shift.

To calculate the height of the ships center of gravity after a vertical weight shift, the following
equation is used:
KG
1
= ((W
0
x KG
0
) +/- (w x kg)) /
F

KG
O
= The original height of the ships center of gravity (M)
o = The ships displacement prior to shifting weight (MT)
w = The amount of weight shifted (MT)
kg = The vertical distance the weight was shifted (M)

F
= The ships displacement after shifting the weight (MT)
(+) When the weight is shifted up use (+)
(-) When the weight is shifted down use (-)
Example Problem
10 MT of cargo is shifted up 3 M.
O
is 3500 MT and KG
o
is 6 M. What is the new height of the
ships center of gravity (KG
1
)?
KG
1
= ((o x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) /
F

KG
1
= ((3500 x 6) + (10 x 3)) / 3500
KG
1
= 6.009 M
Vertical Weight Additions/Removals
When weight is added or removed to/from a ship, the vertical shift in the center of gravity is
found using the same equation.

KG
1
= ((o x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) /
F

KG
O
= The original height of the ships center of gravity (M)

O
= Ships displacement prior to adding/removing weight (MT)
w = The amount of weight added or removed (MT)
kg = The height of the center of gravity of the added/removed weight above the keel (M)

F
= The ships displacement after adding/removing the weight
(+) When the weight is added use (+)
(-) When the weight is removed use (-)
Example Problem
A 30 MT crate is added 10 M above the keel. o is 3500 MT and KG
0
is 6 M. What is the new
height of the ships center of gravity (KG
1
)?
KG
1
= ((o x KGo) +/- (w x kg)) /
F

KG
1
= ((3500 x 6) + (30 x 10)) / 3530
KG
1
= 6.034 M
Horizontal Weight Shifts
Shifting weight horizontally, no matter where onboard it is, will always cause the ships center of
gravity to move in the same direction as the weight shift.
NOTE: A weight shift causing the ships center of gravity to move off centerline will always
reduce the stability of the ship.

To calculate the horizontal movement of the ships center of gravity, the following equation is
used:
GG
2
= (w x d) /
F

w

= The amount of weight shifted (MT)
d = The horizontal distance the weight is shifted (M)

F
= The ships displacement after the weight is shifted (MT)
Example Problem
A 50 MT weight is shifted 10 M to starboard.
O
is 32000 MT.
What is the change in the center of gravity (GG
2
)?
GG
2
= (w x d) /
F

GG
2
= (50 x 10) / 32000
GG
2
= 0.01562 M
Horizontal Weight Additions/Removals
When an off-center weight is added or removed to/from a ship, the ships center of gravity will
move off centerline, the ship will develop a list.

To calculate the horizontal movement of the ships center of gravity after adding/removing an
off-center weight, the same equation is used:
GG
2
= (w x d) /
F

w

= The amount of weight added/removed (MT)
d = The distance from the center of gravity of the weight to the ships centerline (M)

F
= the ships displacement after the weight is shifted (MT)
Example Problem
50 MT of cargo is loaded onto the Tween deck, 10 M from centerline.
O
is 48000 MT. What is
the change in the center of gravity (GG
2
)?
GG
2
= (w x d) /
F

GG
2
= (50 x 10) / 48000
GG
2
= 0.0104 M
Effect of suspended weights
The CG of a body is the point through which the force of gravity may be considered to act
vertically downwards.
For a suspended weight, whether the vessel is upright or inclined, the point through which the
force a gravity may be considered to act vertically downwards is g1, the POINT OF
SUSPENSION.


Conclusions
The CG of a body will move directly TOWARDS the CG of any weight ADDED.
The CG of a body will move directly AWAY from the CG of any weight DISCHARGED.
The CG of a body will move PARALLEL to the shift of the CG of any weight MOVED within
the body.
The shift of the CG of the body in each case is given by the following formula:
GG1 = w x d metres
W
where w = weight added, removed or shifted.
W = final mass of the body
d = distance between the CG if weight added or removed, or the distance by which the
weight is shifted.
When a weight is SUSPENDED, its CG is considered to be at the POINT OF SUSPENSION.