GENERAL DYNAMICS Electric Boat

Presented at ASNE Day 2007 Automating Early Stage Submarine Design: Development of the Submarine Concept Design (SUBCODE) Program
Chris Mahonen, Will Spradley, and Matt Gerdon Abstract
The early stages of the submarine design process are often difficult because of the large number of design variables under consideration and uncertainty as to the exact requirements and constraints being imposed on the design. Because of the cost and time required for a single concept design, traditional methods often rely on qualitative down-select processes in the earliest stages of the design. To overcome these difficulties and make the design process more efficient and cost effective, Electric Boat Corporation, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD), and Naval Sea Systems Command 05U (NAVSEA 05U) developed the Submarine Concept Design (SUBCODE) Program. SUBCODE is a submarine synthesis program designed for use in early stage concept design. SUBCODE is intended to provide quick, accurate, and cost effective analysis of numerous submarine concepts at a level of detail appropriate for a quantitative down-select process prior to the use of traditional concept design methods. The development of SUBCODE involved dealing with several challenges inherent to the creation of a synthesis tool for concept design. These difficulties revolved around balancing the competing requirements of accuracy, speed, control, flexibility, accessibility, and user friendliness. This paper discusses several innovative features of SUBCODE designed to address these difficulties. The key features discussed include building the program around an adjustable level of detail, creating an environment in which the user has complete control over an easily understandable modeling process, and allowing for easy and rapid modifications to the program.

Introduction
The purpose of the early stage submarine design process is to find the optimum design for a given set of mission requirements. The optimum design is the one that meets or exceeds some set of mission requirements while minimizing cost, size, and/or other imposed constraints. Unfortunately, both requirements and constraints are frequently not well defined. For example, there is often a range of payloads under consideration with selection of the final payload depending heavily on how it impacts the size of the platform. Similarly, a modest increase in cost may be acceptable for a significant increase in speed or test depth. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze a very large pool of concepts to determine reasonable requirements, down-select to the optimum design, and then demonstrate that the design chosen is, indeed, an optimal one. The traditional approach to this process has been to make qualitative assessments of a large number of concepts and then develop point studies" for a smaller group of selected concepts. The point study process involves a moderately detailed design of the concept that can take several weeks or months. It provides a large amount of detail about the concept but it is expensive, time consuming, and it limits the number of concepts that can be investigated. The SUBCODE program was developed to address these issues. SUBCODE is a submarine synthesis program designed for use in early stage

concept design. It has been under development since 2002 and in use as part of Electric Boats concept design process since 2004. Since 2005, the program has been used at NAVSEA 05U to conduct concept reviews and designs. SUBCODE enables the analysis of numerous concepts in the time it would traditionally take for a single point study. The design space can thus be thoroughly mapped and quantitative assessments can be made prior to a down-select process. This greatly reduces the number of required point studies and increases confidence that the selected design is the optimum point. SUBCODE is used to rapidly determine the minimum size of a concept design as a function of its requirements. The program walks the user through an automated submarine design spiral. During this process, the user specifies the general configuration of the submarine and its requirements (test depth, design speed, required payload, etc.), and SUBCODE adjusts the ships geometric properties (within user defined constraints) until the minimum required ship size is achieved. Depending on the desired detail, outputs can range from simple characteristics (length, displacement, dry ship weight, etc.) to highly detailed reports (e.g., a 3-digit work breakdown structure (WBS) weight report or a basic arrangement of internal and external spaces). The program is capable of analyzing a large variety of submarine concepts. It can model anything from a small diesel-electric design to a large nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine. SUBCODE has been developed as an engineering tool with the intent that it be run by a naval architect with experience in submarine concept design. It is designed for an array of uses including design space mapping, sensitivity studies, and support of traditional concept design efforts (by way of preliminary predictions of the ships characteristics and extrapolation of the results of a point study). SUBCODE is a Microsoft Excel based application that combines spreadsheet functionality with extensive use of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

SUBCODE began as an Electric Boat Independent Research and Development (IR&D) project in January 2002. The goal of the project was to create a submarine synthesis tool that would help to reduce the time and cost required to perform submarine concept design studies. The project was inspired by the existence of similar synthesis tools in other industries such as aircraft and naval surface ship design. Previous efforts at the creation of a submarine synthesis tool had a poor track record. Failure of prior Electric Boat efforts was generally attributed to an attempt to do too much, from a programming standpoint, and too little from a functional standpoint, with the first iteration of the tool. Synthesis tools are complex and take a long time to develop. Because they support the earliest stages of the design process, vice day-to-day operations, it is easy to attach little to no priority to their development unless they are in immediate demand (in which case it may be too late to begin development). When tool development does gain priority, it is easy to lose management support if tangible results are not quickly produced. Because of these considerations, Electric Boat decided to set reasonable goals that could be quickly achieved and would produce tools that were functional. In June 2003, NAVSEA 05U and the Georgia Institute of Technology briefed Electric Boat on a process for applying design of experiments (DOE) techniques to design processes. Electric Boat and NAVSEA 05U discussed the need to institute a DOE process for submarine concept design efforts. Such a process would require a quick and accurate submarine synthesis tool. However, in June 2003, the submarine design community did not have such a tool. As a result of this meeting, Electric Boat stepped up the pace of its IR&D project and, in December 2003, released Version 1 of the program. The architecture of the program was cumbersome and it was very limited in terms of the configurations that could be analyzed. However, it was functional and could accurately recreate several designs (both existing classes and conceptual). Following demonstrations of SUBCODE Version 1 in early 2004, Electric Boat, NSWCCD, and

Development History

NAVSEA 05U signed a teaming agreement to work collaboratively in the development of SUBCODE. Following the terms of the teaming agreement, Electric Boats role would be the continued development of the design modules. NSWCCD would integrate the design modules into the Advanced Ship and Submarine Evaluation Tool (ASSET). ASSET, developed and maintained by NSWCCD, is a design tool originally developed as a synthesis model for surface ships. Lastly, NAVSEA 05U would direct overall program development and secure future funding. Since 2004, SUBCODE has been developed primarily under NAVSEA 05U Navy funding. Due to their proprietary nature, some separable portions of the code continue to be developed under Electric Boat IR&D funding. Since its creation in 2003, SUBCODE has been continually refined and expanded with new versions being released on almost a yearly basis. The current version of the program can model a wide range of hull forms, propulsion systems (including diesel-electric and fuel cells), and payloads. SUBCODE saw its first use as a design tool in early 2004 and has been extensively used since 2005.

the synthesis tool and then, independently, the same design is made using a more traditional design process. When the predicted displacements are compared, the difference between the tool and the traditional process are 1,000 LT. This comparison is repeated with nine more designs and the difference is always a steady 900 1,000 LT. One would conclude that the tool is precise but not accurate and is acceptable for guidance when conducting down-select processes because it consistently shows the relative sizes of the designs. However, in reality such consistency is not possible without accuracy. Five of those hypothetical ships may have had electric drive and five mechanical. Some may have had a single, circular hull while others had non-circular or double hulls. A consistent error of 1,000 LT in the prediction of mechanical drive components is not likely to accompany a consistent error of 1,000 LT in the prediction of electric drive components. Such consistency of error is even less likely with the hull configuration example. Now consider that tradeoff assessments are often based on small percent differences in predicted values, and it becomes apparent that a reasonable level of accuracy is required to make the tool useful. Too little detail also means the tool cannot accurately handle non-traditional concepts or low level differences (e.g. component level changes) between designs. Tools with low levels of detail become useful only for academic applications. After level of detail comes the issue of control and flexibility. The more control the user has over the design, the more inputs are required and the more detail the user must process. This slows down the creation of the model. Too little control, however, and the user cannot adequately alter the programs calculations during special case scenarios. Special case scenarios occur when one or more calculation methods used by the program will not be adequate for a given design feature. This is usually because a design feature represents application of a new technology that did not exist when the program was created. Given the very nature of concept design, this can occur quite frequently. Thus, a high level of control is essential for the tool to be useful in evaluating new designs.

Difficulties Associated with Synthesis Tools

Development of a synthesis tool for early stage concept design poses several inherent challenges. The tool must balance accuracy, speed, control, flexibility, accessibility, and user- friendliness. The first issue is the question of how much detail. Too much detail and the tool becomes cumbersome. Its accuracy increases but it requires the user to spend too much time entering data. It may also take too long to perform calculations. In essence, it becomes a preliminary or contract design tool, suitable for use once the basic characteristics of the design are established. Too little detail and the accuracy of the tool comes into question. While it is true that precision is more important than accuracy in the early stages of concept design, achieving precision often requires a reasonable degree of accuracy. For example, consider a study in which a design is made with

Similar to the issue of balancing control and modeling speed is the issue of flexibility and userfriendliness. The more flexible the tool becomes, the more complicated it becomes. Added flexibility means added inputs, multiple design paths through the tool, and instances where fields, or even entire modules, are sometimes relevant and sometimes not. All of this results in less userfriendliness. With too little flexibility, however, the tool cannot handle a wide enough range of concepts to be useful. Further complicating things is the fact that using a synthesis program for something as complicated as submarine design involves knowledge of several different disciplines. This includes categories ranging from knowledge of basic hydrostatics and structural principles to knowledge of the operational requirements of specific systems (e.g., the electrical or payload systems). Ideally, the program must be designed so that it can be run by a skilled user with a broad but not all encompassing knowledge of submarines. In many areas, the program must provide extensive guidance and/or simplify the design process (without sacrificing accuracy). There should also be enough detail and control available that a specialist in a particular field, if sought by the user, can understand what has been simplified or assumed and make detailed adjustments to the design should they be necessary. Though already mentioned several times, modeling speed is a critical requirement of a successful synthesis tool and warrants some additional discussion. DOE techniques for exploring a design space require dozens, and often hundreds, of designs (especially given the discrete, vice continuous, nature of submarine design variables). This means that even a fast tool that can produce a design a day may be too slow. The user must be able to reduce the amount of work by reusing existing designs wherever possible. Balancing (i.e., converging) the model, a basic function of synthesis tools, must be as quick and fully automated as possible. Making numerous minor design changes should be a fully automated process where the user inputs a matrix of design adjustments and the program automates changing and rebalancing a baseline design. Even

significant changes to an existing model must be quick and produce little rework. To accomplish this, sizing and location of every part of the design must be defined in terms of its relationship to some major characteristic of the model.

Design Characteristics
Variable Levels of Detail SUBCODE addresses the issue of finding an appropriate level of detail by providing variable levels of detail. The core functionality of the program is built around a level of detail that allows the user to create a design, from scratch, in as little as 20 minutes. By contrast, a model built with the greatest available detail can take a couple of days to fully flesh out. Typically, a completely new design will take a few hours. At the default level of detail, weight and space calculations are carried out at the system/major component level with the entire submarine broken down to approximately 500 individual weights and 100 space reservations. When analysis depends heavily on the accuracy of a specific area of the design, or when a particular design feature is outside the scope of the programs databases, the user may increase the detail in selected areas of the model. For example, instead of sizing the operations compartment based on the total deck area required (calculated by summing the required deck area of several space reservations), the program will calculate the dimensions of each major space and allow the user to arrange the spaces in a 2D plan-form arrangement (see Figure 1). Similarly, by default, the program calculates approximately a dozen weights associated with the torpedo room by scaling past class data based on the number of torpedo tubes. However, if desired, the user may increase the level of detail using the System Sizing module. This module allows the user to specify the geometric details of the tubes, arrange the tubes within the ship, and adjust the characteristics of the weapon. SUBCODE will then calculate the tubes and associated components at a level of detail that involves almost a hundred separate weights and factors in the geometry of the tubes, shape of the hull, size of the weapon, and operating characteristics of the ship.

Enabling such an extensive amount of control inherently makes the program extremely flexible; this flexibility is enhanced by several other features of the program. The hull generation engine used in SUBCODE uses a block building process that creates the hull out of a series of linked shapes. The user breaks each design down into a series of standard shapes (cylinders, cones, portions of a sphere, elliptical sections, curved bow and stern regions, etc.) and links them together based on their relative location to other parts of the ship. This process enables the construction of a near infinite amount of hull configurations (see Figure 2 for an example of a twin hull design). Since this is a complicated, time-consuming process, a wizard is provided to automatically generate a number of standard configurations as desired.

Figure 1: Example Plan-Form Arrangement from a Notional Diesel Electric Design Each level of additional detail may be applied independently of the others. This allows the user to evaluate the concept under consideration, determine its critical or unique characteristics, and then model the concept with a level of detail appropriate to the task at hand. Full User Control From the beginning to the end of the SUBCODE design process, the user is in full control of the model. For almost any calculated value, the user is able to change the method of calculation and/or directly enter a known value as an override. In many cases, it is possible for the user to create a calculation method to use in current and future models. Because of the level of detail in the program, granting this level of control has necessitated tracking a very large number of user input fields; almost 20,000 in Version 4. The majority of these fields are overrides or adjustments to the assumptions the program makes automatically. Because inputting so many fields would take an enormous amount of time, the program has default settings for nearly every field. In order to make them as useful as possible, most defaults are functions of the models properties rather than fixed values. A user normally averages a few hundred inputs in a typical analysis but it is possible to make only a few dozen. This approach allows for a high degree of control without sacrificing any modeling speed. Design Flexibility

Figure 2: Plan View of Twin Hull Design Throughout the program the user is allowed to add new weights, space reservations, manning requirements, etc., that are not included in the basic design template. In addition to this, the program includes a generic object maker. This tool allows the user to add items to the ship with multiple properties (weight, deck area, etc.) that are each variables of the ships characteristics. This allows for custom additions to the model that will update automatically as changes are made to the design. More flexibility is also provided by SUBCODEs easily updatable databases. The program can accept partial or complete space and weight data from a past class or concept design or from a side study investigating a single component or system. As new point studies progress, their output data is continually entered into SUBCODE allowing the program to grow in capability and accuracy. Default settings and calculation methods are also easily adjustable based on lessons learned in past applications of the program.

Lastly, the program has been designed in a modular fashion that is easily expandable. In several cases, the functionality of an individual module has been replaced by a new or modified tool to provide for analysis of a design feature that was not currently supported. These modifications have been implemented and validated in as little as one to three weeks. A Transparent, Accessible Process SUBCODE is designed to be run by a skilled naval architect with experience in submarine concept design. Since most candidates do not possess an all-encompassing knowledge of submarine design, the program is designed to be as instructive as possible. The modeling process is organized in a logical sequence that follows a traditional submarine design spiral. Modules are organized and navigated (see Figure 3) by engineering discipline (structural, electrical, hydrodynamics, etc.). The user is presented with the critical assumptions and design choices in an ordered and logical progression. Enough detail is presented so that the user is always fully aware of how SUBCODE is performing each calculation. This allows the user to check the applicability of the programs assumptions and calculation methods. The program provides instructive comments and ample documentation is available.

designs, to determine the total weight of the plating and frames. This process has proven to be very accurate and requires no knowledge of frame spacing, typical frame dimensions, or plating thicknesses. If, however, a user requires finer control, inputs are provided for some of these variables. Finer control might be preferred by users with sufficient knowledge in this field, for special considerations, or if a specialist is available for consultation. This approach of streamlining the process, while still allowing for additional (but optional) detail, is employed by many of the areas of the program that deal with the design of specific systems. Built for Speed Several features were incorporated into SUBCODE to minimize the time required to build and analyze a design. The first is the complete rubber banding of the model. Every detail in the model including hull configuration, arrangement, and system/component sizing is defined as a relationship to one or more characteristics of the model. Furthermore, with the exception of the Object Maker module, these sizing relationships are built into the program, not the model. Modeling a concept in SUBCODE does not require a time consuming process of creating relationship equations and assigning them to some collection of generic parts. Dynamic defaults accurately select the best relationship/calculation method for most items. The user simply reviews and adjusts these relationships. The saved model (a text file) simply records the user choices (e.g., that property XA of item X is scaled using relationship Y). SUBCODE also features robust and flexible methods for balancing the design. Balancing (i.e., converging) the design is the process of adjusting the model so that the required value of each ship balance property (deck area, main ballast tank (MBT) capacity, margin, etc.) matches the available value. Balancing occurs during the design process to correct initial assumptions about the ship and after any significant changes to the design. SUBCODE automates the balancing process in a controlled fashion. The user specifies which characteristics of the design can be modified, within certain limits, to balance the

Figure 3: SUBCODE Navigation Menu Where possible, without sacrificing accuracy, the design process has been simplified. For example, the Structures module breaks the hull down into smaller structural subdivisions and uses a series of curves, fit to data from a family of compartment

Ship Balance & Sizing Accounts

model. For example, to balance the forward main ballast tank capacity, SUBCODE can adjust the length of the shaped bow, the length of parallel non-pressure hull bow, and the length (if any) of shaped pressure hull forward. The user can deactivate any of these options or place a limit on the extent of the change (e.g., a minimum length of the shaped bow). Because of the rubber banded nature of the model, the balancing process is quick and there is little to no additional adjustment required after the automated rebalancing. The last speed centered feature of SUBCODE is the Family Generator module. This module allows the user to quickly generate a family of similar designs. Beginning with a selected baseline design, the Family Generator makes one or more minor changes to the design (required speed, test depth, etc.), rebalances it, saves the resulting new model, and moves on to the next variation. The user need only input a matrix of design adjustments and the program automates the rest of the process. This process is not available for every design change (such as an alternate hull configuration), but many seemingly large studies have been broken down into less than a dozen baseline designs. In one extreme case, 207 designs were created from four baseline designs.

calculations can easily reach 10 or 20 times that of a single analysis. The program takes up roughly 73 MB of disk space. The general architecture of the program is shown in Figure 4. The user progresses through the modules in the order shown but may choose to backtrack to adjust the design.
SUBCODE Design Modules Geometry & Config. Mng. Speed & Power Diesel Electric & AIP Mod. Compartment Sizing Structures Weights Arrangements System Sizing SUBCODE Post Processing Family Generator Graphics Package 3-Digit WBS Converter Data Estimation for Cost GHS Modeler
Primary Path First Major Iteration Second Major Iteration

DOE Tools

EB CONFORM Tools
CATIA GHS DASH

Weight Estimation Cost Estimation

ASSET/ Leading Edge Prototyping for Systems (LEAPS) Navy Analysis & Design Codes

Figure 4: SUBCODE Architecture SUBCODE can be used to size a concept using several levels of detail. The first cut analysis, providing the least detail, involves the use of the six core SUBCODE modules. These include: Geometry & Configuration Management (GM), Speed and Power (SP), Compartment Sizing (CS), Structures (ST), Weights (WT), and Accounts (AC). Progressing through these modules will allow the user to size and balance the ship quickly. The remaining modules are used to increase the level of detail in the model, calculate additional information, or handle special case situations. The GM module is used to configure the pressure hull and non-pressure hull, select appendages, and perform displacement calculations. The SP module calculates either the shaft horsepower (SHP) necessary to meet the required speed or the achievable speed at a given SHP. The CS module uses the ships requirements to calculate the crew and the deck area needed for the operations compartment. This module also calculates the required volume and length of the aft compartment based on several design variables. After completing the first three modules, the program has enough information to size the ship for arrangement requirements and MBT sizing requirements. This is performed through use of

Architecture & Program Overview

SUBCODE Version 4 is housed in a group of linked Excel workbooks. Each module of the program represents a critical spoke of the submarine design spiral and is composed of one or more workbooks. Most of these modules utilize VBA code to perform a significant portion of the necessary calculations and to automate iteration of the design modules. Calculations are based on concept design scaling rules, geometric equations, physics based theoretical equations, and parametric equations developed by analysis of past class data or existing concept design data. Version 4 comprises 16 modules, 18 workbooks, 2 add-ins, 223 worksheets, and 62,000 lines of code. During a single analysis, SUBCODEs Excel cells typically make roughly 350,000 calculations; execution of the VBA code adds another 350,000 calculations. If the design requires iterations, then the number of

the AC module. The AC module resizes the ship by making changes to the ships geometric properties as defined in the GM module. In cases where the program calculates the SHP necessary to meet a required speed (vice having a specified SHP), the program must iterate between the GM, SP, and CS modules. Once the minimum size of the ship has been calculated, the user proceeds to the ST module where the weights of the pressure hull, non-pressure hull, and various other structural components are estimated. The WT module then calculates the weight of the rest of the submarine based on past class data, geometry, and user input. If sufficient margin is not available, the user proceeds to the AC module once more and uses it to resize the ship accordingly. In the case of a diesel-electric concept, the user would apply the Diesel-Electric & Air Independent Propulsion Modeling (DE) module after the SP module and then proceed to the CS module. The DE module is used to calculate required battery and diesel engine sizes for a diesel-electric submarine. This module can also be used to size the components required for a variety of fuel cell systems. After the initial sizing is complete, the user may proceed to more detailed analysis. The Arrangements module may be used to create a plan-form arrangement of the ships internal compartments (not including the reactor compartment). This arrangement can be used by the WT module to improve center of gravity calculations for many of the ships components. The Graphics Package is used to create 2D and 3D graphics of the hull, which can be used to verify the feasibility of the ships external arrangement. The System Sizing module can be used to estimate the weight and space characteristics of certain ship systems at a much greater level of detail than provided by the other modules. Current System Sizing submodules include the main propulsion system (not including reactor compartment elements), reactor compartment shielding, horizontal weapon launch (torpedo room), hovering and depth control, propeller sizing, and air systems. The Object Maker module may be used to model new components not found in SUBCODEs existing

databases. After applying one or more of these modules, the program can resize the concept using the AC module. After either the initial or detailed sizing, the user has the option to apply several post-processing tools. The Family Generator module may be used to automatically create a series of similar designs. The GHS Modeler is used to create a model of the SUBCODE concept for use in the General Hydrostatics (GHS) program (see Figure 5). This program can estimate trim, draft, and surface stability for the given concept. SUBCODE also includes a coefficient of motion based hydrodynamic maneuvering simulator for evaluating basic maneuvers and predicting high level recoverability characteristics. Lastly, the Cost Data Estimator can be used to calculate and compile data required for a cost estimate.

Figure 5: SUBCODE Model Exported to GHS

Why Excel?
When SUBCODE is demonstrated to any sizable audience, the question of why Excel is invariably raised. Initially, Excel was chosen because of the funding and time available. From the beginning of the project through 2004, the priority given to SUBCODE and the funding available allowed for a small development team that ranged from one to three people. Development in Excel allowed engineers to do the development directly instead of involving a programmer to take an outline (or Excel prototype) and create the product. It meant more capability added in a shorter period of time for the same cost. Add to this the fact that development in Excel is exceptionally fast (especially with

regard to user interfaces (UI)), and Excel becomes a very quick and cost effective platform. Development has stayed in Excel for several reasons. First, it is a capable platform. Worksheets, when properly developed, make professional looking UIs, function as capable databases, or in some cases make efficient computational tools. The chart and autoshape engines can be used to make good 2D graphics (and even acceptable 3D graphics, see Figure 6). These capabilities, combined with the VBA programming language and forms, make Excel a flexible and effective software development platform. Second, competence with Excel and even VBA is fairly widespread amongst engineers. This means that SUBCODE users can make their own modifications should the need arise. Lastly, funding has not yet reached a level that would allow for transfer of SUBCODE functionality from Excel to another development platform such as JAVA or C++.

length overall, when compared to a traditional point study, are usually within 1-3%. The program has also been shown to be very cost effective. In one study at Electric Boat in 2005 a total of 94 different ships were analyzed in a three-month period. Most of these ships were significantly different from each other with different payload systems, technology levels, propulsion methods, and missions. The total effort required for the study, including writing reports and the checking and approval process, was roughly 1,000 manhours. In a more recent study in 2006 (also conducted by Electric Boat), 207 different ships were analyzed in a two month period for a total effort of roughly 300 man-hours. In comparison, a traditional point study, examining a single concept, can easily require a level of effort of 1,000 man-hours. Due to the classification of the subject matter, it is not possible here to give specifics of past or planned applications of the SUBCODE program. However, applications of the tool may be described as falling into four categories: Design Space Mapping: Investigate variations of design variables in different combinations with each other (e.g., payloads A, B, and C in all possible combinations with speeds X, Y and Z) to map design space for supporting a downselect process for further study. Sensitivity Studies: With one or more selected designs, vary a single variable independently of other variables and determine the ships sensitivity to that variable. Pre-Concept Estimates: Estimate the characteristics of a single design to aid in the early stages of a traditional point study. Extrapolation of Detailed Concept Designs: Based on the results of a point study, create a model for the purpose of quickly investigating modifications to the design.

Figure 6: SUBCODE 3D Graphic in Excel Electric Boat, NAVSEA, and NSWCCD are currently considering switching to another development platform for the 5th or 6th version of the program. The main drivers are potential stability issues (which could become problematic as the size and complexity of the program increase) and a desire to facilitate easier data transfer between SUBCODE, ASSET, and other programs.

Applications of SUBCODE
SUBCODE has been used both in support of traditional point studies and to conduct standalone studies where time and budgetary constraints did not permit a point study. The program has been shown to be sufficiently accurate both at EB and at NAVSEA. Results, such as displacement, light ship weight, and

Future Work
Development Previous SUBCODE studies have focused on showing the effects of requirements or design variables on the size and principal characteristics of the platform (e.g., SHP, payload, or test depth vs. LBP, displacement, or dry ship weight). However, the ultimate goal of the program is to be able to show how varying requirements, technology, and mission capabilities affects cost. Though SUBCODE outputs have been formatted for use in cost estimation procedures, neither Electric Boat nor NAVSEA 05U have tools for quickly creating a cost estimate. Therefore, both organizations are working toward creating and integrating their own separate Cost modules into the program. These Cost modules would use SUBCODE results to produce rough order of magnitude cost estimates in as little or less time than a balanced design can be produced using SUBCODE. Near-term SUBCODE development will also include expanding the System Sizing module. The current version of the module only models eight of the ships major systems. Expanding this module will not only allow for added detail in the design but it will also capture the interrelationships of the ships systems. When complete it will be useful for evaluating insertion of new technologies into the design of submarine systems. Such low level effects often do not have direct first order impacts on space and weight but may have significant impact on the size of other systems and therefore an indirect but significant impact on the platforms overall size and cost. The module will also be useful in determining what systems already have major impacts on the final size and cost of the submarine and help identify systems that should be the focus of efforts aimed at reducing system size and complexity. Lastly, this added detail will be necessary to feed analytical modules. Such analytical modules are another future development goal. Targeted tools include modules for shock analysis and the prediction of acoustics signatures. This will provide additional analytical

capability that, in the future, will feed tools for evaluating the performance/mission effectiveness of the design. Other development objectives include the continued expansion of SUBCODEs databases and continued development of links between SUBCODE and the tools used by Electric Boat and the U.S. Navy for more detailed concept design. Application Beginning in mid 2006, Electric Boat and NAVSEA 05U began applying Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques to SUBCODE based concept studies (an example surface from the Electric Boat study is shown in Figure 7). Both efforts have been aimed at developing competency with DOE vice supporting official concept studies.

c b r e Su m e g d Di sp l a e me n t

Diame ter

Figure 7: Sample DOE Results Using SUBCODE Applying DOE to submarine concept design poses a series of problems. These include the presence of numerous discrete (i.e., categorical) variables, large areas of infeasible design space, a need for a high degree of prediction accuracy, and the common occurrence of severe (steeply sloped with abrupt transitions) surfaces.

De sig n

Va ria ble

10

The first two issues (discrete variables and infeasible design space) have been recurring issues in other fields including surface ship design. Electric Boat and NAVSEA 05U are investigating the use of several techniques to deal with these two issues. The need for a high degree of prediction accuracy (low percent difference between SUBCODE validation runs and the results of DOE generated equations) is particularly challenging. Given that confidence in SUBCODE results themselves is usually around 95%, a prediction accuracy of 95% or better is necessary to achieve an acceptable net confidence of 90%. This is difficult to achieve since many surfaces have a large amount of interaction between design variables (i.e., factors) and ample curvature; both of which necessitate a high number of SUBCODE designs. Recent efforts involving a five-factor study found several significant four-factor interactions and one surface that included significant quartic terms. Also challenging is the fact that several responses have very severe surfaces. This is particularly true of responses related to determining whether the ship is weight vs. arrangement limited. These surfaces have large, nearly flat regions transitioning abruptly to steeply sloped sections. Electric Boat believes that achieving high prediction accuracy with such surfaces may not be possible with practical restrictions on the number of SUBCODE runs. An alternative solution,

currently being investigated, involves modifying SUBCODE to calculate additional responses that will indicate weight vs. arrangement limited tipping points while still yielding continuous, less severe surfaces. Even with SUBCODEs ability to handle large numbers of designs quickly, many concept design studies could require an impractical number of runs to achieve the desired accuracy unless creative modeling techniques are developed to deal with these issues. Electric Boat and NAVSEA 05U are working toward the resolution of these issues through continued DOE studies.

Conclusions
SUBCODE incorporates several features that make it well suited for use in the early stages of the concept design process. These features, while tailored to the submarine design spiral, would be applicable to any successful synthesis tool built for early stage concept design. Furthermore, the application of the program has reinforced the usefulness of such tools in the design process. SUBCODE has shown itself to be useful in the development and analysis of submarine concepts in a quick, accurate, and cost effective manner. Future use of SUBCODE in conjunction with DOE techniques will provide the Navy with a powerful tool to explore a wide range of cost and mission effective submarine designs.

11