The NRC-IMD Marine Dynamics Test Facility: A Six-Degree-of-Freedom Forced-Motion Apparatus for Underwater Vehicle Testing

Abstract

The Marine Dynamic Test Facility (MDTF) is a new experimental apparatus that is optimized for dynamically testing large underwater vehicle models well into the nonlinear regime. Its effective use requires careful experimental design and advanced methods of data analysis. This paper describes the MDTF and discusses a number of the issues for underwater vehicle testing that have been encountered during the first year since its commissioning.NRC publication: Ye