Introduction:

In the field of ship design and design of other floating structures, a response amplitude
operator (RAO) is an engineering statistic, or set of such statistics, that are used to determine
the likely behaviour of a ship when operating at sea. RAO is usually obtained from models of
designed structures tested in a model basin or specialized CFD computer programs. RAOs are
usually calculated for all motions and wave headings. RAO is effectively transfer functions
used to determine the effect that a sea state will have upon the motion of structure through
water (stability view). Generation of extensive RAOs at the design phase allows shipbuilders
to determine the modifications to a design that may be required for safety reasons. RAOs are
computed in tandem with the generation of a hydrodynamic data, which is a model of the
effects of water pressure upon the ship's hull under a wide variety of flow conditions.
Together, the RAOs and hydrodynamic database provide assurances about the behaviour of a
proposed structure design. They also allow the designer to dimension the ship or structure so
it will hold up to the most extreme sea states based on sea states statistics. A wave spectrum
is the distribution of wave energy as a function of frequency. It describes the total energy
transmitted by a wave field at a given time. Wave spectra are strongly influenced by the wave
producing wind and its characteristics.
Moon pools have been used for years to launch sensitive systems to the sea floor. This
launching method has been proven to be much safer than the conventional over the side
launch systems. Moon pools however, can exhibit large resonance responses if they are
poorly designed or operating in regions out with their design specification. In this work the
RAO s will be obtained for three common designs and this data will be used to predict the
performance of these systems to real sea conditions including an enclosed sea location and an
open ocean location. The response of any other marine system can be investigated in exactly
the same way.

Objectives:

 Use an experimental approach to obtain the RAOs of three Moon pool systems
 Use a computer program to generate a series of ocean wave spectra
 Combine the experiment and wave data to predict the Moon pool responses to real
wave spectra

Procedure:

 Send a series of sinusoidal drive signals of known amplitude and frequency to the
wave maker
 Measure the resulting wave amplitude in the tank
 Measure the response of the three moon pools
 Use a curve fitting method to estimate the wave and moon pool response amplitudes
 Use a computer program to generate a number of wave spectra
 Combine this information to predict the performance of the moon pool systems for
two different geographic locations and a range of wave conditions

Data & Results:

Wave Incident
maker wave Amplitude Amplitude Amplitude
frequency Wave maker amplitud response response response
(Hz) input voltage e circular trapezoid concentric
1
 F V mm mm mm mm

0.350 2.750 30.430 24.720 32.050 27.400

0.400 1.750 33.990 17.650 31.220 17.790
0.450 1.500 29.380 23.270 29.970 23.730
0.500 1.250 28.000 27.750 35.890 29.520
0.550 1.100 21.530 18.790 28.220 19.830
0.600 1.000 29.330 31.060 41.480 33.550
0.650 1.000 27.290 23.330 35.090 26.090
0.700 1.000 30.520 24.670 34.760 29.530
0.750 1.000 28.090 20.740 29.050 25.120
0.800 1.000 28.540 29.200 29.930 37.360
0.850 0.900 34.210 37.330 28.460 52.410
0.900 0.750 31.190 32.030 17.900 51.750
0.950 0.750 31.560 33.870 12.340 58.620
1.000 0.500 32.420 39.310 8.200 56.450
1.100 0.500 35.480 56.490 2.040 24.550
1.200 0.600 53.310 49.560 3.012 11.680
1.400 0.600 31.960 11.260 1.340 3.120
1.600 0.600 29.010 3.650 0.780 1.340
1.800 0.500 34.070 1.150 2.440 1.500

Wave Wave
Maker Maker Incident Amplitude Amplitude Amplitude
frequen input Wave Response RAO Response RAO Response RAO
Ratio cy Voltage Amplitude Circular Circular Trapezoid Trapezoid Concentric Concentric
Hz V m m - m - m -
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000

2
Spectrum 1:

1 to 4 North Sea
JONSWAP
Spectrum Circula Trapezoid Concentri
1 r al c
Frequenc
S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
y
Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec
0.042426 0.000000
0.049497 0.000000
0.056569 0.000000
0.063640 0.000000
0.070711 0.000000
0.077782 0.000000
0.084853 0.000000
0.091924 0.000000
0.098995 0.000000
0.106066 0.000002
0.113137 0.000078
0.120208 0.000992
0.127279 0.006237
0.134350 0.023769
0.141421 0.063277
0.155563 0.220161
0.169706 0.450524
0.197990 1.933301
0.226274 1.066469
0.254558 0.466197
SUM

3
 0.600000
Spectrum 1

0.500000

0.400000

0.300000
H(f), m^2 sec

circular
Trapezoidal
Concentric
0.200000

0.100000

0.000000
0.000000 0.050000 0.100000 0.150000 0.200000 0.250000 0.300000

-0.100000 Frequency, Hz

Spectrum 1 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

4
Spectrum 2:

1 to 4 north sea JONSWAP

Spectrum Circula Trapezoida Concentri
2 r l c
Frequenc
S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
y

Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec

0.042426 0.000000

0.049497 0.000000

0.056569 0.000000

0.063640 0.000000

0.070711 0.000000

0.077782 0.000000

0.084853 0.000000

0.091924 0.000005

0.098995 0.000258

0.106066 0.003920

0.113137 0.025481

0.120208 0.093617

0.127279 0.232440

0.134350 0.439591

0.141421 0.693109

0.155563 1.460494

0.169706 3.653865

0.197990 1.972128

0.226274 0.868317

0.254558 0.568588
SUM

5
Spectrum 2 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Spectrum 3:

1 to 4 north sea
JONSWAP
Spectrum 3 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric
Frequency S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)

Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec

0.042426 0.000000
0.049497 0.000000
0.056569 0.000000
0.063640 0.000000
0.070711 0.000000
0.077782 0.000104
0.084853 0.005266
0.091924 0.062082
0.098995 0.301017
0.106066 0.833324
0.113137 1.615314
0.120208 2.581208
0.127279 4.102701
0.134350 7.306512
0.141421 11.633768
0.155563 8.036354
0.169706 3.584780

6
0.197990 1.877320
0.226274 1.114112
0.254558 0.668244
SUM

Spectrum 3 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Spectrum 4:

1 to 4 north sea JONSWAP

Spectrum Circula Trapezoida Concentri
4 r l c
Frequenc
S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
y

Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec

0.042426 0.000000

0.049497 0.000000

0.056569 0.000000

0.063640 0.000006

0.070711 0.002297

0.077782 0.068334

0.084853 0.512896

0.091924 1.726112

0.098995 3.615535

0.106066 6.092455

7
 10.96122
0.113137 5
20.98364
0.120208 9
24.49987
0.127279 0
16.94613
0.134350 7
10.11015
0.141421 3

0.155563 5.458590

0.169706 3.998594

0.197990 2.190381

0.226274 1.219697

0.254558 0.707106

SUM

Spectrum 4 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Spectrum 5:

5 to 8 open
ocean
location
Spectrum 5 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric
Frequency S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
m2 m2
Hz m2 sec - sec - sec - m2 sec

0.042426 0.000000

8
0.049497 0.000000

0.056569 0.000000

0.063640 0.000000

0.070711 0.000005

0.077782 0.000697

0.084853 0.014105

0.091924 0.091087

0.098995 0.293358

0.106066 0.609634

0.113137 0.954124

0.120208 1.237775

0.127279 1.414978

0.134350 1.483558

0.141421 1.465267

0.155563 1.277867

0.169706 1.025608

0.197990 0.601929

0.226274 0.346514

0.254558 0.204475
SUM

Spectrum 5 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

9
Spectrum 6:

5 to 8 open ocean
location
Spectrum Trapezoid Concentri
6 Circular al c
Frequenc
S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
y
Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec
0.00000
0.042426 0
0.00000
0.049497 0
0.00000
0.056569 0
0.00009
0.063640 6
0.00886
0.070711 5
0.11709
0.077782 0
0.52543
0.084853 9
1.25938
0.091924 2
2.06761
0.098995 7
2.68296
0.106066 8
2.99729
0.113137 1
3.03890
0.120208 9
2.89135
0.127279 7
2.63814
0.134350 7
2.34174
0.141421 1
1.76020
0.155563 1
1.28581
0.169706 5
0.68006
0.197990 4
0.37221
0.226274 3
0.21381
0.254558 4

10
SUM

Spectrum 6 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Spectrum 7:

5 to 8 open ocean location

Spectrum 7 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric
Frequency S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)

Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec

0.042426 0.000000
0.049497 0.000014
0.056569 0.011910
0.063640 0.337109
0.070711 1.882786
0.077782 4.549540
0.084853 6.962701
0.091924 8.221352
0.098995 8.341340
0.106066 7.731994
0.113137 6.789185
0.120208 5.772227
0.127279 4.817059
0.134350 3.979849
0.141421 3.273280
0.155563 2.212600
0.169706 1.511192

11
0.197990 0.742011
0.226274 0.391728
0.254558 0.220746
SUM

Spectrum 7 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Spectrum 8:

5 to 8 open ocean
location
Spectrum Circula Trapezoida Concentri
8 r l c
Frequenc
S(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f) RAO H(f)
y
Hz m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec - m2 sec
0.042426 0.000015
0.049497 0.035439
0.056569 1.159845
0.063640 5.877315
12.28257
0.070711 1
16.37849
0.077782 3
17.20153
0.084853 7
15.85324
0.091924 7
0.098995 13.59107

12
 6
11.19897
0.106066 0
0.113137 9.038549
0.120208 7.225409
0.127279 5.759304
0.134350 4.595843
0.141421 3.680346
0.155563 2.397022
0.169706 1.599075
0.197990 0.765000
0.226274 0.398797
0.254558 0.223224

SUM

Spectrum 8 Circular Trapezoidal Concentric

m0

Significant response

Peak response frequency

Analysis:
Once data is gained, assume a scale factor of 1:50 from the experiment and calculate
everything else in full scale.
Response Amplitude Operator for each shape is found by the formula
Amplitude Response
RAO= Incident Wave Amplitude

This formula is used to calculate the RAO for Circular, Trapezoid and Concentric.

The next step was using the supplied MATLAB program to generate eight wave spectra S (f).
Spectrum 1 to 4 was for the North Sea Location (JONSWAP) and Spectrum 5 to 8 was for
Open Ocean Location. The main difference between these two locations was the value of the

13
gamma. When the values of wave spectra S(f) is gained, the readings are imported in the
form of tables in Microsoft Excel.
The response spectrum H(f) is gained from this following formula
H(f) = S(f) . RAO2
Hence there should be three set values of H(f) (Circular, trapezoid and concentric) for each
spectrum. Using the measured RAO’s and calculated wave spectra and response spectrum,
diagram of H(f) vs frequency can be plot for each of the moon pools to the given spectra.
The peak response frequency is gained from the maximum value of H(f) for each of the moon
pool.
From the response spectra, H(f), the significant response of the moon pools to the given wave
spectra is calculated.

Significant response = 4√𝑚0

Where m0 is called the 0th spectral moment which is defined as

m0 = ∫ 𝐻(𝑓)𝑑𝑓
Integrate each of the response spectra to determine the various m0’s by using the trapz
function in MATLAB or the SUM function in excel. In this report, the SUM of H(f) is
regarded as the m0 since Microsoft Excel program is used.

Comment & Summary:

Discussion:
As known the response spectrum depends on the frequencies, wavelength and also wind
condition which are significantly different in various sea locations, in this case (JONSWAP
and open sea). Hence, it requires a selection in choosing the best shaped moonpool which can
meet all the criteria to be able to operate in the location.
The conclusion that can be made in that the best moonpool system in the North Sea
condition (JONSWAP) is the trapezoidal shaped moonpool due to its efficiency and abilities
to with stand environment (waves) impact loads. As seen from the diagram for spectrum 1 to
4 the trapezoidal, the response spectrum (reduce or minimize spectrum response) for the
shape is the lowest reaction to the frequencies followed by the circular and concentric
moonpools. The circular shape has the highest (significantly high) response reaction toward
the same frequencies for the entire spectrum 1 to 4. Hence it has the lowest efficiency when it
comes to wave impact.
As for open ocean location, the result varies from spectrum 5 to spectrum 8. The result for
spectrum 5 shows that the trapezoidal shaped moonpool has the lowest response reaction
towards the frequencies followed by circular and concentric and these conditions changes in
spectrum 6 where the circular has the lowest response followed by trapezoidal and
concentric. The result in spectrum 7 and 8 are the same where the circular remains the lowest
response reaction but followed by the concentric and trapezoidal moonpools (differently in
the previous spectrum).In general it can be summarized that the circular moonpool design is
the most suitable moonpool to be used in the open ocean location. However, the result
produces concern at the beginning stage in spectrum (spectrum 5), the circular moonpool

14
react actively with lower frequency. In this experiment, circular moonpool design becomes
more efficient when the frequency increase.

Locations Simply the best moonpool shape

North Sea (JONSWAP)
Open ocean location

15