1.

0 OBJECTIVE

To determines the stability of a pontoon with its centre of gravity at various heights.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Stability of Floating Bodies

Pontoon is a term used to denote a flat bottomed vessel which is cross

section and in plan. Considering figure 1.1a, we have the weight force, W,
acting vertically down through the centre of gravity, G, of the pontoon. Since
the pontoon is floating in water with constant depth immersion, it follows that
there must be an equal force acting the opposing direction of the weight force,
known as buoyancy force, F, which act vertically up through the centre of
gravity of the displaced water.

Figure 1.1a: A pontoon floating on an even keel with W and F collinear

Since the pontoon is a simple rectangle, the shape of the displaced liquid is
also a rectangle with its centre namely the centre of buoyancy force, F acts
upwards through B. note that W and F act collinearly with G situated some
distance above B.
 Figure 1.1b: A pontoon floating with an imposed angle of tilt, showing
the righting couple

When a pontoon is tilted as shown in Figure 1.1b, W acts vertically down

through G which maintained at same position but F now acts through point B*
instead of B. This is because F acts through the centre of gravity of the
displaced liquid which is now trapezoidal in shape with its centre of gravity at
B*. As a result F and W are no longer collinear, but a couple of force that will
return the pontoon to an even keel are formed. This is known as righting
couple. In this case the pontoon is capable of righting itself when tilted. Hence
it is stable.

Figure 1.1c: A pontoon with a raised G and an imposed angle of tilt,

showing the overturning couple by W acting outside F

If a relatively tall piece of weight is placed on the pontoon as shown in Figure

4, the combined weight, W of the pontoon and its load acts through the centre
of gravity, G which is relatively high. When G becomes higher and the angle
of tilt increases, W acts further and further to the left. This means that at some
point the movement of the buoyancy force, F from B to B* is unlikely to be
large enough to produce a righting couple. What we now have is the situation
depicted in Figure 1.1c, where the line of action of W is outside (nearer the
edge of the pontoon) than the line along which F acts. Thus W is trying to
overturn the pontoon. The two forces F and W form an overturning couple.
Thus, it s unstable
 Figure 1.1d: The position of metacentre

A pontoon floating on an even keel has its centre of buoyancy at B and its
centre of gravity at G. a line joining B to G would be as shown in Figure 1.1d,
that is vertical and at 90 to the deck of the pontoon. Imagine line BG extends
upwards and now consider the pontoon in its tilted position as in Figure 1.1d,
the centre of buoyancy moved from B to B*. a line drawn vertically upwards
through B* will intersect the line BG at the point labeled M in the diagram.
This is called the metacentre. Provided G does not move, then for all
relatively small angle of tilt:

1. The vertical line through B* through M. consequently if the location of B*

can be calculated, the position of M can be found graphically.
2. The distance of M above B is constant.
3. The distance GM is called the metacentric height of the pontoon.

When considering the stability of a floating body, it is usual to assume that the
angle of tilt is small. This is necessary to simplify the theory by making the
assumption that radians = sin = tan = radians.

Considering the restoring moment that right a rectangular pontoon to an even

keel when it is tilted, the equation:

I ws
BM = /V
 Where:

V = the volume of water displaced by the body,

I ws = the second moment of the area

Figure 1.1e: Plan of the pontoon where the tilt takes place about the
longitudinal axis X X

I ws lb 3
= 12

It should be apparent that BM depends only upon:

I ws
1. I and b, the dimensional of the pontoon which govern the value of .
2. V, the volume of displaced water which depends only upon the weight of
the pontoon.

3.0 PROCEDURE
1. The transverse adjustable mass was weighted.
2. The pontoon were assembled and weighted.
 3. The sliding mass was positioned along the mast such that the centre of gravity
occurs at the top of the pontoon. It is determined using a knife edge.
4. The sink were filled with water, floated pontoon ensured that the adjustable mass
was in its central position.
5. The adjustable mass then moved to the right of centre in 10 mm increments to
the ends of the scale; the angular displacement of the plump line for each
position was noted.
6. The movement of the adjustable mass was repeated by move it to the left of
centre.
7. All above was repeated with exception of weighing the adjustable weight and
emptying and refilling the volumetric tank.
8. All the reading was recorded in the result sheet.
9. The graph of lateral position of adjustable mass against angle of list for each

dx
sliding mass height. Obtain the value of d for each sliding mass height, the

metacentric height was calculated, GM and distance between the centre of

buoyancy and the metacentre.

Metacentric height
4.0 RESULT

Total weight of floating assembly = 3.5 kg

Weight of adjustable mass = 0.6 kg

Weight of sliding mass = 0.8 kg

Breadth of pontoon = 200 mm

Length of pontoon = 350 mm

3
LD
Second moment of area I= x 1012 13 4
= 3.8273 x 10 m
12

W
V=
Volume of water displaced 103 = 36 m

Height of metacentre above centre of

I
BM = 13
Buoyancy V = 1.0631 x 10 m

V x 10 6
Depth of immersion of pontoon = LD = 0.023 m

V x 10 6
Depth of centre of buoyancy CB = 2 LD = 0.0115 m

Lateral Displacement
(cm)

Lateral Displacement (cm)

Height of adjustable
weight (mm) - - - -
-50 -40 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
60 30 20 10
5. 2. 1. 0. 1. 2. 3.
0 4.2 3.2 0 4.4 5 6
2 2 2 4 6 6 6
7. 3. 2. 0. 2. 3. 5. 7.
50 6.2 4.8 0 6.4 8.4
6 4 2 6 4 4 4 4
6. 4. 1. 4. 6. 7.
100 9 9 8.5 0 8.5 9 9
8 4 8 4 2 8
Angle of list
()

Height of Angle of list ()

adjustable -
weight (mm) -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
10
9.4 8.1 6.5 1.6 1.6 6.5 8.1 9.7
0 4.9 3.6 0 3.6 4.9
1 3 2 4 4 2 3 2
12. 10. 9.4 6.8 5.2 4.9 2.9 5.2 6.8 9.4 10. 12.
50 0
88 99 1 4 2 4 4 2 4 1 9 88
14. 14. 13. 11. 8.1 8.1 11. 13. 14. 14.
100 4.9 0 4.9
42 42 65 62 3 3 62 65 42 42

Angle of list
(rad)

Height of Angle of list (rad)

adjustable
weight -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
(mm)
0.16 0.14 0.11 0.08 0.06 0.02 0.02 0.06 0.08 0.11 0.14 0.16
0 0
4 2 4 8 2 9 9 3 6 4 2 9
0.22 0.19 0.16 0.11 0.09 0.05 0.05 0.09 0.11 0.16 0.19 0.22
50 0
5 2 4 9 1 1 1 1 9 4 2 5
0.25 0.25 0.23 0.20 0.14 0.08 0.08 0.14 0.20 0.23 0.25 0.25
100 0
2 2 8 3 2 6 6 2 3 8 2 2

80

60

40

20
0 mm
0 50 mm
100 mm
-20

-40

-60

-80
 Graph of Lateral position VS Angle of List ()

5.0 DISCUSSION
From what been observe, it is shown that the metacentric height is influenced by the
position of the adjustable mass. The metacentre also will be affected by the position
of the adjustable mass. The stability of the pontoon also influenced by position of the
plumb-line.

6.0 CONCLUSION
As the conclusion, it proves that the stability of the pontoon can be affected when
several of centres of gravity applied on the pontoon. The pontoon will take time to be
in stable state during floating on the water.