Development of a mathematical model to simulate berthing maneuver assisted by tugs

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K04859
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 24020:Marine engineering-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Sano Masaaki 広島大学, 先進理工系科学研究科(工), 准教授 (40582763)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: タグ（曳船） / 離着桟 / 操縦運動 / 運動モデル / 自動化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was aimed to establish maneuvering mathematical model for berthing/unberthing operation of a ship assisted by harbor tugs in cooperation. In the coming era of autonomous controlled ships, an advanced tug with a sophisticated intelligence is also one of promising ideas and is expected to support a ship berthing more safely and smoothly. The proposed model could be utilized in future as a plant model for the model-based design of such an advanced tug and helpful to evaluate the control system through the virtual simulation.
This study tackled with the mathematical formulation of the berthing phase, towing tank test and simulation-based studies. A main achievement is to present a modular-type mathematical model for cooperative maneuvers, considering the coupled motions among the ship and tugs. Some trial simulations indicated the possibility that multiple tugs could berth the large ship by cooperative maneuvers, in which their motions were flexibly adjusted each other.

Free Research Field

船舶運動性能

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在の自動運航船に関わる研究開発の多くは、自船単独で操縦制御を完結する事を目指している。しかし大型な船舶ほど、その巨大な慣性力に対して相対的に制御力が乏しく、過密航路の安全通航や離着桟操船では、ハーバー・タグによる支援が欠かせない。自動運航という趨勢の中、支援側のタグの進化もまた検討に値する。本研究では、任意隻数のタグが連携して本船を支援する局面を取り扱える運動数学モデルを提案した。これは今後の次世代型タグの開発に当たり、その制御方式を開発・評価する為のプラントモデルとしての活用を期待できる。また実際に離着桟支援操船の計算例を提示する事で、タグによる高度な連携支援の可能性を示す事ができた。