Abstract

The free-fall lifeboat was developed to reduce the risk of injury during evacuation in a maritime emergency. It is a generally accepted concept for lifesaving appliances that currently is in use on many ships and offshore platforms. Three concerns during launch of these lifeboats are the attitude of the boat at water entry, the headway immediately after water entry, and the acceleration forces to which the occupants are subjected. Limited quantitative data is available about the behavior of the boats during launch and, in particular, on the effects of mass distribution on the launch behavior of free-fall lifeboats. The purpose of this paper is to discuss quantitatively the launch behavior of free-fall lifeboats, with particular emphasis on the effects of changes in the location of the CG.

Issue Section:
Research Papers
Topics:
Lifeboats, Boats, Water, Emergencies, Evacuations, Offshore platforms, Risk, Ships, Wounds
1.
International Maritime Organization, 1993, Assembly Resolution A689(17), Testing and Evaluation of Lifesaving Appliances, London, U.K.
2.
International Maritime Organization, 1990, Subcommittee on Life-Saving, Search and Rescue, “Clarification of SOLAS Chapter III Provisions and Free-Fall Lifeboats, Including Requirements for Acceleration Protection in Lifeboats,” LSR 21/WP.7.
3.
International Maritime Organization, 1992, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, Consolidated Text, Bath Press, London, U.K.
4.
Nelson, James K., 1992, “Relationship of Parameters Affecting the Behavior of Lifeboats Launched by Free-Fall,” Proceedings of OFFSHORE SAFETY: Protection of Life and the Environment, Institution of Marine Engineers, London, U.K.
5.
Nelson, J. K., Fallon, D. J., Hirsch, T. J., and Verhoef, J., 1991a, “Effects of Mass Distribution on Free-Fall Lifeboat Behavior,” Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 1, Part B, Stavanger, Norway.
6.
Nelson, J. K., Fallon, D. J., and Hirsch, T. J., 1991b, “Mathematical Modeling of Free-Fall Lifeboat Launch Behavior,” Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Vol. 1, Part B, Stavanger, Norway.
7.
Nelson, J. K., and Hirsch, Teddy J., 1990, “FREEFALL—Launch Prediction Model for Free-Fall Lifeboats,” a final report prepared for the United States Coast Goard and Mobile Research and Development Corporation, Clemson University Civil Engineering, Report No. 3-S-90.
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Copyright © 1995
 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
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