Lecture Notes: Navy's Indoor Ocean at Carderock

Introduction

• Location: Navy's Indoor Ocean at Carderock
• Purpose: Test scale ship models to improve before open ocean deployment
• Features: World's largest wave pool with ocean-colored water

Facility Specifications

• Dimensions:
  • 360 feet long
  • 240 feet wide
  • 20 feet deep
• Dome: Previously the largest free-standing dome
• Wave Makers:
  • 216 individual wave makers
  • Waves can be created at angles from -45 to 135 degrees

Wave Creation and Control

• Mechanics:
  • Large paddles programmed for precise wave creation
  • Air bellows and force transducers used
• Control:
  • Precision in amplitude and frequency
  • Ability to create waves with specific characteristics repeatedly

Wave Properties and Observations

• Characteristics:
  • Wavelength: distance from crest to crest
  • Energy transmission rather than material movement
• Wave Base: Motion stops at half the wavelength depth
• Frequency Impact:
  • Higher frequency waves travel slower
  • Speed inversely proportional to frequency

Demonstrations

• Superposition Principle:
  • Waves meeting can increase amplitude
  • Standing waves and bullseye formations
• Bullseye Demo:
  • Converging waves create breaking wave
  • Superposition aids in wave energy concentration

Engineering Applications

• Ship Testing:
  • Prototype ships tested for real-world behavior
  • Fresh water simulation influences buoyancy
• Froude Number:
  • Used for scaling wave dynamics accurately
  • Model speed adjusted to match real-world physics

Wave Spectra and Ocean Conditions

• Wave Formation Factors:
  • Wind speed, duration, fetch, width, and water depth
• Swell vs. Wind Waves:
  • Swell: Long period waves, not concerning for ships
  • Wind Waves: Steeper, more impactful on ships

Unique Ocean Conditions

• Different Ocean Spectra:
  • Geography and storms impact wave frequency mixture
  • North Sea: Peakier spectrum
  • Mid-Atlantic: Broader spectrum
  • North Atlantic: Steadiest wind and broadest spectrum

Practical Engineering Challenges

• Ship Design and Innovation:
  • Impact on every Navy ship and submarine
  • Use of model testing to innovate safely and cost-effectively
• Model Testing Facilities:
  • Carriage used for non-remote-controlled model tests

Conclusion

• Importance: Critical for ship development and safety
• Personal Anecdotes:
  • Experience of rough sea conditions
  • Practical implications of water on ship decks

Appendix

• Brilliant Endorsement: Mention of the Brilliant platform for learning stem concepts, highlighting its interactivity and application to wave principles and quantum mechanics.