Short specialist courses were organised in June 2022. The aim of these activities was to exchange academic knowledge and experience to enhance proficiency in experimentation and numerical analysis in the field of maritime engineering. On this occasion, three laboratory staff from UM followed training sessions in the experimental facilities of the Naval Architecture, Ocean, and Marine Engineering (NAOME) department of the University of Strathclyde (the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratories, KHL). The activity was designed to provide practical experience and learn about state-of-the-art techniques utilised for model testing of sea-faring vessels. Concurrently, the academics, researchers, and students attended two different short specialist courses.
The main aim of Short Specialist Courses was to share with the partners some knowledge related to technologies, systems, design, and techniques in virtual and physical towing tank testing. These Short Specialist Courses are mainly addressed to the Malta academic staff and early-career researchers in academia and engineers from the industry.
The short specialist course Physical towing tank testing for the prediction of ship hydrodynamics with a focus on seakeeping was delivered by the University of Strathclyde during the Partner University Visit to Glasgow. It focused on the experimental technologies and techniques for seakeeping experiments using a towing tank. The materials were delivered by Dr Tahsin Tezdogan and Dr Saishuai Dai. The course was divided into three sessions:
- Session 1: Combined CFD/ EFD methods and seakeeping theories were delivered by Dr Tahsin Tezdogan on Tuesday 28th June 2022 from 09:00 to 12:00.
- Session 2: Physical towing tank testing for the prediction of ship hydrodynamics with a focus on seakeeping was delivered by Dr Saishuai Dai on Tuesday 28th June 2022 from 14:00 to 16:00.
- Session 3: Physical towing tank testing for the prediction of ship hydrodynamics with a focus on seakeeping was delivered by Dr Saishuai Dai on Wednesday 29th June 2022 from 14:00 to 17:00
In addition, Dr Saishuai Dai (USTRATH) delivered the Short Specialist Course on State-of-the-art measurement, calibration, and data analysis techniques. The course focused on the state-of-the-art techniques associated with towing tank testing, and was divided into two sessions:
- Session 1: T2.1 SSC#5 Combined CFD/ EFD methods and seakeeping theories were delivered by Dr Saishuai Dai on Tuesday 28th June 2022 from 14:00 to 16:00.
- Session 2: T2.1 SSC#5 State-of-the-art measurement, calibration, and data analysis techniques – Experimental Application was delivered by Dr Saishuai Dai on Wednesday 29th June 2022 from 09:00 to 12:00.
Lectures were delivered in the Henry Dyer building and the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory (KHL) which belong to the Naval Architecture, Ocean, and Marine Engineering Department (NAOME) of the University of Strathclyde. Lectures included theoretical knowledge and experimental application with KCS experiments The sessions mainly focused on the areas where combined CFD/EFD can be used in naval architecture, giving some practical examples from the latest studies. Dr Tezdogan also discussed the main scale effects in marine hydrodynamics in his lecture. Dr Saishuai Dai included an overview of experimental techniques from scale and dimensional analysis to the data processing passing by instrumentation, data acquisition calibration, and uncertainty.
The experimental application sessions were conducted at the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratories (KHL) of the NAOME department. During this event, participants visited the different facilities of the University of Strathclyde, including the towing tank, ocean basin, and Fully Turbulent Flow Channel (FTFC).
On 1st July 2022, the participants visited the Full Mission Bridge Simulator, which is part of the Maritime Human Factors Centre (MHFC) of USTRATH NAOME Department. The visit served as an opportunity to provide essential knowledge about the operation of towing tank facilities, and model ship construction and testing. Practical sessions on the use of a towing tank (i.e., KCS experiments) and associated data acquisition systems were held.